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“A good plain business man isn’t the least noble work of God, after all.”

“No,” said Senda, without looking up; and, after a long, meditative breath, she added, very slowly,

“Se koot Kott makes not all men for se same high calling. If Kott make a man to do no betteh san make a living or a fawtune, it iss right for se man to make it; se man iss not to blame. And now I vant to tell you se news of sat letteh from—-“

“The other side,” we suggested, and invited her smile, but without success.

“Yes, from se osseh si-ide; sat letteh vhat you haf brought me since more as a veek ago; and also vhy I haf not sat letteh given you to read. Sat iss–if you like to know–yes?

“Vell, sen I vill tell you. And sare are two sings to tell. Se fairst is a ve’y small, but se secondt iss a ve’y lahge. And se fairst is sat that I am now se Countess.

“So? you are glad? I sank you ve’y much. I sink sat iss not much trouble –to be a countess–in Ame’ica?

“Se secondt sing”–here a servant entered, and, it seemed to me, never would go out, but Senda waited till we were again alone–“se secondt– pahdon me, I sink I shall betteh se secondt sing divide again into two aw sree. And se fairst is sat Monsieur Fontenette vill like ve’y–ve’y much to come home–now–right avay.”

We lifted hands to clap and opened mouths to hurrah, but she raised a warning hand.

“No, vait–if you pleass.

“Se secondt of sose two or sree sings–it is sat–he–Monsieur Fontenette –hass ask me–” Our hearts rose slowly into our throats–“Ze vun qvestion to vich sare can be only–se–vun–answeh.”

At this we gulped our breath like schoolgirls and glowed. But the more show we made of hopeful and pleading smiles, the more those dear eyes, so seldom wet, filled up with tears.

“He sinks sare can two answehs be, and he like to heah which is se answeh I shall gif him, so he shall know if he shall come–now–aw if he shall come–neveh.

“O my sweet friend,”–to Mrs. Smith, down whose, face the salt drops stole unhindered–“sare iss nossing faw you to cry.” She smiled heroically.

I could be silent no longer. “Senda, what have you answered?”

“I haf answered”–her lips quivered till she gnawed them cruelly–“I am sorry to take such a long time to tell you sat–but–I–I find sat–ve’y hahd–to tell.” She smiled and gnawed her lips again. “I haf answered–

“Do you sink, my deah, sat siss is ri-ight to tell the we’y vords sat I haf toldt him?–yes?–vell–he tell me I shall se answeh make in vun vord –is sat not like a man?

“But I had to take six. And sey are sese: I cannot vhispeh across se ocean.”