"  What  do  you  call  this  ? "  said  Joe.  "  Bed-car
tains!"

**  Ah ! "  returned  the  woman,  laughhig  and  leaning  for*
ward  on  her  crossed  arms.     ^  Bed-curtains  1 "

^  You  don't  mean  to  saj  you  took  'em  down  rings  an
all,  with  him  lying  there  ?  "  said  Joe.
"  Yes  I  do,"  replied  the  woman.     "  Why  not  ?  "

"You  were  bom  to  make  your  fortune,"  said  Joe,
**  and  you'll  certainly  do  it"

'^  I  certainly  sha'n't  hold  my  hand,  when  1  can  get
anything  in  it  by  reaching  it  out,  for  the  sake  of  such
a  man  as  He  was,  I  promise  you,  Joe,"  returned  the
woman  coolly.  "  Don't  drop  that  oil  upon  the  blankets,
now."

*'  His  blankets  ?  "  asked  Joe.
**  Whose  else's  do  you  think  ? "  replied  the  woman.
"  He  isn't  likely  to  take  cold  without  'em,  I  dare  say."

"  I  hope  he  didn't  die  of  anything  catching  ?  £h  ?  "
said  old  Joe,  stopping  in  his  work,  and  looking  up.
"  Don't  you  be  afi*aid  of  that,"  returned  the  woman.
'^I  a'n't  so  fond  of  his  company  that  I'd  loiter  abont
him  for  such  things,  if  he  did.  Ah !  You  may  look
through  that  shirt  till  your  eyes  ache;  but  you  won't
find  a  hole  in  it,  nor  a  threadbare  place.  It's  the  best
he  had,  and  a  fine  one  too.  They'd  have  wasted  it,  if  it
hadn't  been  for  me."

**  What  do  you  call  wasting  of  it  ?  "  asked  old  Joe.
