"Perhaps not," she replied, "but I thought I knew something about
it; why, my entire body turned such a queer color."
"Oh! it always does that," said this optimistic soldier man, "and
that shows it is doing good."
The Paymaster's wife joined us later. I think she had profited by
the beauty's experience, for she said but little.
The Quartermaster was happy; and what if his wife did not believe
in that uncanny stream which flowed somewhere from out the
infernal regions, underlying that wretched hamlet, he had
succeeded in being a benefactor to two travellers at least!
We had a merry supper: cold ham, chicken, and fresh biscuit, a
plenty of good Cocomonga wine, sweet milk, which to be sure
turned to curds as it stood on the table, some sort of preserves
from a tin, and good coffee. I gave them the best to be had in
the desert - and at all events it was a change from the Chinaman's
salt beef and peach pies, and they saw fresh table linen and
shining silver, and accepted our simple hospitality in the spirit
in which we gave it.
Alice Martin was much amused over Charley; and Charley could do
nothing but gaze on her lovely features. "Why on earth don't you
put some clothes on him?" laughed she, in her delightful way.
