n what
similitude does you means you plays de fife?"

"Why in the s'militude o' legislation, you know. But Law'! Johnnie
wouldn't neveh had the sense to 'range it that-a way if it hadn't been
faw my dea' ole-time frien' an' felleh sodjer, Gyarnit."

"Is dat so? Well, well! Maajo' Gyarnit! You used to cook faw him in camp
di'n' you? How much good sense he got, tubbe sho'!" A mixture of
roguishness spoiled the pretence of wonder.

"Good sense? Law'! 'twant good sense in Gyarnit nuther. It was jess my
pow' ove' him! my stra-ange, masmaric poweh! You know, the arrangements
is jess this! Gyarnit got th'ee hund'ed sheers, I got fawty; yit I the
poweh behime the th'one. Johnnie, he on'y sec'ta'y an' 'ithout a salary
as yit, though him an' his maw got--oh! I dunno--but enough so he kin
sell it faw all his daddy could 'a' sole the whole track faw--that is,
perwidin' he kin fine a buyeh. Champion, Shotwell, the Graveses--all
that crowd, they jess on'y the flies 'roun' the jug; bymeby they find
theyse'ves onto the fly-papeh." The pair laughed again, and----

"Oh! escuse me!"

"My acci_dent_, seh. Mr. Leggett, hoccum you got all dat poweh?"

"Ah!" said the smiling gallant, "you wants to know the secret o' my
poweh, do you? Well, that interjuce the ezacly question I'm jess
a-honin' to ass you. You ass me the secret o' my poweh. Don't you know
thass the ve'y thing what Delijah ass Saampson?"

"Yass, seh. I knows. Dass in de Bible, ain't it?"

"It is. It in the sacred scripters, which I hope that, like myseff, fum
a chile thou hass known them, ain't you? Yass, well, thass right. I
loves to see a young lady pious. I'm pious myseff. Ef I wan't a
legislater _I'd_ be a preacher. Now, you ass me the same riddle what
Delijah ass Saampson. An' you know how he anseh her? He assed a riddle
to her. An' likewise this my sweet riddle to you: Is I the Saampson o'
yo' hope an' dream an' will you be my Deli----Aw! now, don't whisk away
like that an' gag yo'seff with yo' handkercher! I's a lawful widoweh,
dearess."

The maiden quenched her mirth and put on great dignity. "Mr. Leggett,
will you please to teck yo' ahm fum roun' my wais'?" She glanced back
with much whiteness of eyes. "Teck it off, seh; I ain't aansw'ed you
yit."

The arm fell away, but his whispering lips came close. "Ain't I yo'
Saampson, dearess o' the dear? Ain't you the Delijah o' my haht? Answeh
me, my julepina, an' O, I'll reply you the secret o' my poweh aw any
othe