And sweet Alice lies under the stone."

The little toiling figure bent once more across the wash-board and began
to rub. He turned, the first dew of many a long year welling from each
eye, and stole away, out of the little yard and down the dark, slippery
alley, to the street.

Mrs. Riley still stood on the door-sill, holding the child.

"Good-evening, madam!"

"Sur, to you." She bowed with dignity.

"Is Mrs. Richling in?"

There was a shadow of triumph in her faint smile.

"She is."

"I should like to see her."

Mrs. Riley hoisted her chin. "I dunno if she's a-seein' comp'ny to-day."
The voice was amiably important. "Wont ye walk in? Take a seat and sit
down, sur, and I'll go and infarm the laydie."

"Thank you," said the Doctor, but continued to stand.

Mrs. Riley started and stopped again.

"Ye forgot to give me yer kyaird, sur." She drew her chin in again
austerely.

"Just say Dr. Sevier."

"Certainly, sur; yes, that'll be sufficiend. And dispinse with the
kyaird." She went majestically.

The Doctor, left alone, cast his uninterested glance around the smart
little bare-floored parlor, upon its new, jig-sawed, gray hair-cloth
furniture, and up upon a picture of the Pope. When Mrs. Riley, in a
moment, returned he stood looking out the door.

"Mrs. Richling consints to see ye, sur. She'll be in turreckly. Take a
seat and sit down." She readjusted the infant on her arm and lifted and
swung a hair-cloth arm-chair toward him without visible exertion.
"There's no use o' having chayers if ye don't sit on um," she added
affably.

The Doctor sat down, and Mrs. Riley occupied the exact centre of the
small, wide-eared, brittle-looking sofa, where she filled in the silent
moments that followed by pulling down the skirts of the infant's
apparel, oppressed with the necessity of keeping up a conversation and
with the want of subject-matter. The child stared at the Doctor, and
suddenly plunged toward him with a loud and very watery coo.

"Ah-h!" said Mrs. Riley, in ostentatious rebuke. "Mike!" she cried,
laughingly, as the action was repeated. "Ye rowdy, air ye go-un to fight
the gintleman?"

She laughed sincerely, and the Doctor could but notice how neat and
good-looking she was. He condescended to crook his finger at the babe.
This seemed to exasperate the so-called rowdy. He planted his pink feet
on his mother's thigh and gave a mighty lunge and whoop.

"He's go-un to be a wicked bruiser," said proud