love, or his heart, or anything, though we
knew how it was with each other well enough, one summer Sunday night, when
the moon was a-shining bright as day, he kind o' loitered at the gate, and
sort o' kicked the gravel slowlike with his foot, and then said:

"'Well, Marier, when hed I better speak to the ole man?'

"And I said: 'Fust time you see him, John.' And that was all. Every word
of love-making that passed betwixt us two until we was married."

"He was a plain, good, honest man," put in Miss Meeke.

"You bet your pile on that! And you won't lose nothing by it! He was a
good, true man, and so I found him, else I shouldn't a-followed of him all
round the world, and out to Wild Cats' Gulch! But as for this other
fellow! Lord! Why, from the minute he made up his mind to marry and rob
me, he did nothing but make love! Lord, how he could do it! Like a
play-actor! Why, honey, one time he fell on his knees before me and looked
up in my face in such a way! And what on earth can an ordinary 'oman do
when a man goes down on his marrow bones and rolls up his eyes like a
dying duck? She has to sort o' give in to him whether she wants to or not!
for fear he'd get worse, and have a fit, and do hisself a mischief of some
sort! And all the time, dear, it wasn't the poor Californy widow he was
after; but her poor, dear, dead-and-gone husband's pile, as he had made by
the sweat of his brow, and lost his life in making, too! He fashionated me
into marrying of him and trusting of him until he levanted with all my
money! And he fashionated that young girl there until she throwed over her
own true love for him! But his fashionations don't last long after he is
found out--that is one good thing! Leastways they didn't with me, and they
don't seem to have done so with her. I come to my senses soon's ever I
found out as he had robbed me and run away. And she come to hers soon's
ever she found out he had a lawful wife living. But now that the grand
vilyun is out of the way, and the young turtledoves has made it all up,
why can't they be married before he goes off to sea?" earnestly inquired
the Californian lady.

"I wish to Heaven it might be done!" fervently exclaimed Natalie, who, in
the happiness of her own love-life, felt a deep sympathy for the young
pair in the bay window.

"And why might it not, then? That is what I want to know. There's no
lawful impediment why them two mightn't be made one right off! My scamp
can't have any cl