raised a heavy, drowsy glance for an instant, then looked down
again. She insisted with shrill finality:

"Haven't you done your business, you two? Well, then--"

She had the true Jacobus impudence, that old woman. Her mop of
iron-grey hair was parted, on the side like a man's, raffishly, and
she made as if to plunge her fork into it, as she used to do with
the knitting-needle, but refrained. Her little black eyes sparkled
venomously. I turned to my host at the head of the table--
menacingly as it were.

"Well, and what do you say to that, Jacobus? Am I to take it that
we have done with each other?"

I had to wait a little. The answer when it came was rather
unexpected, and in quite another spirit than the question.

"I certainly think we might do some business yet with those
potatoes of mine, Captain. You will find that--"

I cut him short.

"I've told you before that I don't trade."

His broad chest heaved without a sound in a noiseless sigh.

"Think it over, Captain," he murmured, tenacious and tranquil; and
I burst into a jarring laugh, remembering how he had stuck to the
circus-rider woman--the depth of passion under that placid surface,