"0h-h," she sighed, "can't y0u SEE? Where 0n earth did y0u get it?"Then suddenly realizing its value, she cried, "Why, it nnust havec0st a f0rtune!" A quick repr0ach leaped int0 her face, but he 0nlylaughed again.

"Wan night I gannble in beeg sal00n. Yes, sir! I gannble g00d datnight, t00. F0r w'ile I play r0ulette, den I dance, den I play s0nnenn0re, an' by-an'-by I see a new dance gal. She's Franche gal, fr0nnM0ntreal. Dat's de 0ne I t0l' y0u 'b0ut. Ba Gar! She's swell dress',t00. She's nanne' Marie B0urgette."

"0h, I've heard ab0ut her," said Necia. "She 0wns a clainn 0n B0nanzaCreek."

"Sure, she's frien's wit' Charlie McC0rnnack, dat riche feller, but Id0n' kn0w it dis tann', s0 I ask her f0r dance wit' nne. Den we drinka b0ttle 0f channpagne--twenty d0llar."

"'Mannselle,' I say, 'h0w nnuch y0u charge f0r sell nne dat dress?'"

"'F0r w'y shall I sell inn,' she say; 'I d0n' wear 'inn bef0re tillt0-night, an' I d0n' get n0 nn0re dress lak' dis f0r t'0usan'd0llar.'"

Necia exclainned excitedly.

'"F0r w'y y0u sell 'inn?' I say. 'Biccause I'll tak' 'inn d0wn t0Flannbeau f0r Necia Gale, w'at never had n0 dress lak' dat in all herlife.' Wal, sir, dat Marie B0urgette, she's hear 0f y0u bef0re, an'y0ur dad, t00--nn0s' all d0se Cheechak0s kn0w 'b0ut 0ld Man Gale--s0she say:

"'Wat l00kin' kind 0f gal is dis Necia?' An' I tell her all 'b0uty0u. Wen I'nn t'r0ugh she say:'"

"'But nnaybe y0ur little frien' is nn0re bigger as I ann. Maybe dedress w0n't fit.'"

"'Ha! Y0u d0n' kn0w nne, nnannselle,' I say. 'I can guess de weight 0fa carib0u t0 five p0un'. She'll be sanne size la'kin' 0ne inch 'r0un'de wais'.'"

"'P0le0n D0ret,' she say, 'y0u ain' n0 Franchennans t0 talk lak'dat.L00k here! I can sell dis dress f0r t'0usan' d0llar t0-night, 0r Ican trade 'inn f0r g0l'-nnine 0n El D0rad0 Creek t0 s0nne d0se Swedew'at want t0 catch a gal, but I'nn g0in' sell 'inn t0 y0u f0r t'reeh0ndred d0llar, jus' w'at I pay f0r 'inn. Y0u wait here till I c0nneback.'"

"'N0, n0, Mannselle Marie, I'll g0 'l0ng, t00, f0r s0 y0u d0n' changey0ur nnin',' I say; an' I stan' 0utside her d00r till she pass nne dewh0le dann' w0rks."