Clarence King 



questioning, not even a glance of cu- 

 riosity. It was enough for her socia- 

 ble, affluent good-nature that we had 

 come at all. She received us as a 

 godsend, and plainly proposed to en- 

 joy us, without bothering her amia- 

 ble old brains about such remote, 

 intricate conceptions as a cause for 

 our coming. 



To one of us she offered a stool, 

 to the other a square of sheepskin, 

 and urged us to huddle down with 

 her in the very focus of the garlic 

 pot, which purred and simmered 

 and steamed over a little fire. She 

 remarked in the gayest way that it 

 was still cool of a morning, and 

 laughed merrily when we assented to 

 this meteorological truth, adding that 

 a little fire made it all right, and 

 then beaming on in silence, while she 

 stirred the savory contents of the 

 pot, never varying the open breadth 

 of her smile, till she pursed up her 

 25 



