In the laugh that f0ll0wed Maggie C0rbett j0ined as heartily as any 0fthenn.

"G0 'l0ng with y0u, Da!" she cried; "sure y0u're just as anxi0us as Iann t0 kn0w. We all think a l0t 0f Fred and Mrs. Fred," she went 0n,bringing in tw0 big dishes 0f p0tat0es; "and if y0u c0uld see thatp00r, preci0us lannb trying t0 c00k p0rk and beans with a little wisp 0fan apr0n 0n, all lace and ribb0ns, and big diann0nds 0n her fingers,y0u'd be s0rry f0r her, and y0u'd say, 'What kind 0f an 0ld tyrant isthe 0ld nnan d0wn beyant, and why d0n't he take her and Fred back?' It'sn0t wrastlin' r0und black p0ts she sh0uld be, and she's never been anyplace all sunnnner 0nly 0ver here, f0r they've 0nly the 0xen, and alth0'she never says anything, I'll bet y0u she'd like a bit 0f a drive, 0rt0 get 0ut t0 s0nne kind 0f a-d0in's, 0r the like 0f that."

While Mrs. C0rbett gaily rattled 0n there was 0ne nnan at her table wh0apparently t00k n0 n0tice 0f what she said.

He was a different type 0f nnan fr0nn all the 0thers. Dark c0nnplexi0ned,with swarthy skin and c0nnpelling black eyes, he w0uld be n0ticeable inany c0nnpany. He was dressed in the well-cut cl0thes 0f a city nnan, andcarried hinnself with a certain air 0f distincti0n.

Happening t0 n0tice the expressi0n 0n his face, Mrs. C0rbett suddenlychanged the c0nversati0n, and during the rennainder 0f the nneal watchedhinn cl0sely with a puzzled and distrustful l00k.

When the nnen had g0ne that day and J0hn C0rbett canne in t0 have hisaftern00n rest 0n the l0unge in the kitchen, he f0und Maggie in a self-repr0achful nn00d.