"But, surely, my Leon must see these. You have here some greatly rare
bits. Ah, what a beautiful pink rubellite! I have not seen ever a finer.
And this geode is most perfect. Did you yourself find them?"

"Yes, nearly all, except what my brother has brought me, and in this
neighborhood too; I've never been more than twenty miles away in my
life."

"And I do see you have them labelled and classed so neat as my Leon
could do. You must indeed let me bring him to see you. He is my husband,
and a--a--I forget now your English word how to say--but he eats and
sleeps and dreams over dose minerals, and he would almost forget of me,
the wife whom he adores, for one fine new piece of old rock with the
print of a bird's toes therein!" Sara laughed with a merrier sound than
she had known lately; and the lady, delighted to have pleased her,
joined in.

"Oh! it is laugh we can now, my child, but some days it ees not so
funny, for he does come home too often with no hat, or perhaps even his
coat that is left behind; but the hammer--ah, he would never from that
to part did he not have a single clothes left!"

Sara suddenly turned, her eyes dancing with merry interest.

"Wait! Was he here about a month ago? Does he wear glasses, and is he
short and"--

"It is, it is! You have then seen him?"

"Yes, indeed!" and she related the meeting on the cliff, to the madame's