reassured him. Her face was wreathed in smiles as she came forward and
held out her hand.

"Well, well, Joe Hamilton," she exclaimed, "if I ain't right-down glad
to see you! How are you?"

"I 'm middlin', Minty. How 's yourself?" He was so happy that he could
n't let go her hand.

"An' jes' look at the boy! Ef he ain't got the impidence to be waihin' a
mustache too. You must 'a' been lettin' the cats lick yo' upper lip. Did
n't expect to see me in New York, did you?"

"No, indeed. What you doin' here?"

"Oh, I got a gent'man friend what 's a porter, an' his run 's been
changed so that he comes hyeah, an' he told me, if I wanted to come he
'd bring me thoo fur a visit, so, you see, hyeah I am. I allus was
mighty anxious to see this hyeah town. But tell me, how 's Kit an' yo'
ma?"

"They 're both right well." He had forgotten them and their scorn of
Minty.

"Whaih do you live? I 'm comin' roun' to see 'em."

He hesitated for a moment. He knew how his mother, if not Kit, would
receive her, and yet he dared not anger this woman, who had his fate in
the hollow of her hand.