was for you, dearey, that I put that money on them cards that night in
'Frisco. I thought to win a heap--enough to take you away, and enough
left to get you a new dress."

Mrs. Decker smiled, and pressed her husband's hand. "I do forgive you,
Joe dear," she said, still smiling, with eyes abstractedly fixed on the
ceiling; "and you ought to be whipped for deceiving me so, you bad boy!
and making me make such a speech. There, say no more about it. If you'll
be very good hereafter, and will just now hand me that cluster of roses,
I'll forgive you." She took the branch in her angers, lifted the roses
to her face, and presently said, behind their leaves,--

"Joe!"

"What is it, lovey?"

"Do you think that this Mr.--what do you call him?--Jack Oakhurst would
have given that money back to you, if I hadn't made that speech?"

"Yes."

"If he hadn't seen me at all?"

Mr. Decker looked up. His wife had managed in some way to cover up
her whole face with the roses, except her eyes, which were dangerously
bright.

"No! It was you, Elsie--it was all along of seeing you that made him do
it."