JACK KALE'S WIFE. 13 



in places of public resort. I observed that 

 my companion spoke to her in very fami- 

 liar terms, though they were by no means 

 improper; and I also remarked that she 

 always answered him with a monosyllable. 

 There was something about the female 

 that interested me, and when removing 

 the cloth her staid and studied manner 

 awakened my curiosity. 



This was not unobserved by my com- 

 panion. 



" Don't you know her, young man ? " 

 he inquired. 



"No," I replied, "how should I? But 

 you do. Who is she ? " 



" Jack Bale's wife/' he said, naming a 

 well-known Oxford dragsman. 



"Nonsense," I exclaimed; "I was at his 

 house in London not long ago, and when I 

 drove the ' Crown Prince,' we had some talk 

 about exchanging. I then saw his wife, a 

 very different person from this indeed, 

 quite the opposite." 



