ed to Garnett.

"'If it's th' leddy-killer av th' fleet ye're afther, there he Stan's.'

"Th' old woman looked an' stopped.

"'No,' says she, in a sort o' jangled tone, 'eets my little gal I looks
fer--she's aboard here wid th' capt'in,'

"'Ye can't see her,' says Garnett, 'an' ye better get ashore afore I
calls one av thim Dago soldiers to carry ye off an' marry ye.'

"I cud jest get th' glint av th' old woman's eyes, then she bent her
head lower.

"'E--eets my leetle gal I must see,' an' there was somethin' in her voice
that made one pay attention, 'twas so deep an' solemn like. I ware
listening an' a few soldiers av th' army what was camped in th' town came
up an' stopped an' looked on.

"'She ware a good leetle gal--an' I cared for her--Yes, by God, she ware
a good gal,' said th' old one, hoarsely.

"I cud see O'Toole turn away his head an' Garnett sniff hard at his vial.
'Twas good, he used to say, fer things in th' head. Thin he turned to th'
old woman.

"'Ye better get ashore, old gal, she ain't aboard here. We don't take
thim kind on deep water.'

"'I must see her afore I goes,' says th' old woman, an' her voice ware a
whisper that died away, but ware so full av force O'Toole turned to her.

"'Was it Mrs. Jameson ye wished to see?' he asked.

"The old woman nodded.

"'Well--er--faith, an' she--er,' an' thin he stopped to look at Garnett.

"'She had an accident, by yer lave, 'bout a month ago. How was it ye
niver hearn tell? Waren't ye here whin th' old man brought her ashore?'

"'I come from 'Frisco,' says she.

"'Well, I s'pose ye might as well know now as niver,' O'Toole blurted
out; 'she's dead, owld woman. Been dead a month gone. Th' old man buried
her dacent like, fer, as ye say, she ware a rale good gal, 'pon me whurd,
fer a fact, she ware that. 'Tis hard to tell ye, but it's th' truth, th'
whole truth, an' divil a bit besides.'

"While he talked th' old woman's head went lower, and whin he finished,
she gave a hard gasp. Thin she stood huddled forninst th' deck-house, an'
Garnett started forward to th' men at work stevin' th' last av th' cargo.

"All av a sudden like I saw her raise her face an' spit a button from her
mouth. Her eyes ware starin' an' lookin' at th' hill away off t' th'
eastward av th' town an' beyant to th' great southern mountings av th'
Andes range. Thin she slowly straightened up an' walked wid a firm step
along th' deck an' th' gang-plank.

"Th' soldier men made