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laugh without moving his mouth。 Then； shouldering his basket； he
shut the door carefully and slid quietly down stairs。 In the lower
hall he； however； found an unexpected difficulty in opening the
front door； and； after fumbling vainly at the lock for a moment；
looked around for some help or instruction。 But the Irish handmaid
who had let him in was contemptuously oblivious of his needs； and
did not appear。
There occurred a mysterious and painful incident； which I shall
simply record without attempting to explain。 On the hall table a
scarf； evidently the property of the servant before alluded to； was
lying。 As Ah Fe tried the lock with one hand； the other rested
lightly on the table。 Suddenly； and apparently of its own
volition； the scarf began to creep slowly toward Ah Fe's hand； from
Ah Fe's hand it began to creep up his sleeve slowly； and with an
insinuating； snakelike motion； and then disappeared somewhere in
the recesses of his blouse。 Without betraying the least interest
or concern in this phenomenon； Ah Fe still repeated his experiments
upon the lock。 A moment later the tablecloth of red damask； moved
by apparently the same mysterious impulse； slowly gathered itself
under Ah Fe's fingers； and sinuously disappeared by the same hidden
channel。 What further mystery might have followed； I cannot say；
for at this moment Ah Fe discovered the secret of the lock； and was
enabled to open the door coincident with the sound of footsteps
upon the kitchen stairs。 Ah Fe did not hasten his movements； but
patiently shouldering his basket； closed the door carefully behind
him again； and stepped forth into the thick encompassing fog that
now shrouded earth and sky。
From her high casement window； Mrs。 Tretherick watched Ah Fe's
figure until it disappeared in the gray cloud。 In her present
loneliness； she felt a keen sense of gratitude toward him； and may
have ascribed to the higher emotions and the consciousness of a
good deed that certain expansiveness of the chest； and swelling of
the bosom； that was really due to the hidden presence of the scarf
and tablecloth under his blouse。 For Mrs。 Tretherick was still
poetically sensitive。 As the gray fog deepened into night； she
drew Carry closer toward her； and； above the prattle of the child；
pursued a vein of sentimental and egotistic recollection at once
bitter and dangerous。 The sudden apparition of Ah Fe linked her
again with her past life at Fiddletown。 Over the dreary interval
between； she was now wanderinga journey so piteous； willful；
thorny； and useless that it was no wonder that at last Carry
stopped suddenly in the midst of her voluble confidences to throw
her small arms around the woman's neck； and bid her not to cry。
Heaven forefend that I should use a pen that should be ever
dedicated to an exposition of unalterable moral principle to
transcribe Mrs。 Tretherick's own theory of this interval and
episode； with its feeble palliations； its illogical deductions； its
fond excuses； and weak apologies。 It would seem； however； that her
experience had been hard。 Her slender stock of money was soon
exhausted。 At Sacramento she found that the composition of verse；
although appealing to the highest emotions of the human heart； and
compelling the editorial breast to the noblest commendation in the
editorial pages； was singularly inadequate to defray the expenses
of herself and Carry。 Then she tried the stage； but failed
signally。 Possibly her conception of the passions was different
from that which obtained with a Sacramento audience； but it was
certain that her charming presence； so effective at short range；
was not sufficiently pronounced for the footlights。 She had
admirers enough in the greenroom； but awakened no abiding affection
among the audience。 In this strait； it occurred to her that she
had a voicea contralto of no very great compass or cultivation；
but singularly sweet and touching； and she finally obtained
position in a church choir。 She held it for three months； greatly
to her pecuniary advantage； and； it is said； much to the
satisfaction of the gentlemen in the back pews； who faced toward
her during the singing of the last hymn。
I remember her quite distinctly at this time。 The light that
slanted through the oriel of St。 Dives's choir was wont to fall
very tenderly on her beautiful head with its stacked masses of
deerskin…colored hair； on the low black arches of her brows； and to
deepen the pretty fringes that shaded her eyes of Genoa velvet。
Very pleasant it was to watch the opening and shutting of that
small straight mouth； with its quick revelation of little white
teeth； and to see the foolish blood faintly deepen her satin cheek
as you watched。 For Mrs。 Tretherick was very sweetly conscious of
admiration and； like most pretty women； gathered herself under your
eye like a racer under the spur。
And then； of course； there came trouble。 I have it from the
sopranoa little lady who possessed even more than the usual
unprejudiced judgment of her sexthat Mrs。 Tretherick's conduct
was simply shameful； that her conceit was unbearable； that； if she
considered the rest of the choir as slaves； she （the soprano） would
like to know it； that her conduct on Easter Sunday with the basso
had attracted the attention of the whole congregation； and that she
herself had noticed Dr。 Cope twice look up during the service； that
her （the soprano's） friends had objected to her singing in the
choir with a person who had been on the stage； but she had waived
this。 Yet she had it from the best authority that Mrs。 Tretherick
had run away from her husband； and that this red…haired child who
sometimes came in the choir was not her own。 The tenor confided to
me behind the organ that Mrs。 Tretherick had a way of sustaining a
note at the end of a line in order that her voice might linger
longer with the congregationan act that could be attributed only
to a defective moral nature； that as a man （he was a very popular
dry goods clerk on weekdays； and sang a good deal from apparently
behind his eyebrows on the Sabbath）that as a man； sir； he would
put up with it no longer。 The basso alonea short German with a
heavy voice； for which he seemed reluctantly responsible； and
rather grieved at its possessionstood up for Mrs。 Tretherick； and
averred that they were jealous of her because she was 〃bretty。〃
The climax was at last reached in an open quarrel； wherein Mrs。
Tretherick used her tongue with such precision of statement and
epithet that the soprano burst into hysterical tears； and had to be
supported from the choir by her husband and the tenor。 This act
was marked intentionally to the congregation by the omission of the
usual soprano solo。 Mrs。 Tretherick went home flushed with
triumph； but on reaching her room frantically told Carry that they
were beggars henceforward； that sheher motherhad just taken the
very bread out of her darling's mouth； and en