“Why, it’s John, Mamma!  It’s our old John what we had in Fiddletown.”

For an instant Ah Fe’s eyes and teeth electrically lightened.  The child clapped her hands, and caught at his blouse.  Then he said shortly:  “Me John—­Ah Fe—­allee same.  Me know you.  How do?”

Mrs. Tretherick dropped the clothes nervously, and looked hard at Ah Fe.  Wanting the quick-witted instinct of affection that sharpened Carry’s perception, she even then could not distinguish him above his fellows.  With a recollection of past pain, and an obscure suspicion of impending danger, she asked him when he had left Fiddletown.

“Longee time.  No likee Fiddletown, no likee Tlevelick.  Likee San Flisco.  Likee washee.  Likee Tally.”

Ah Fe’s laconics pleased Mrs. Tretherick.  She did not stop to consider how much an imperfect knowledge of English added to his curt directness and sincerity.  But she said, “Don’t tell anybody you have seen me,” and took out her pocketbook.

Ah Fe, without looking at it, saw that it was nearly empty.  Ah Fe, without examining the apartment, saw that it was scantily furnished.  Ah Fe, without removing his eyes from blank vacancy, saw that both Mrs. Tretherick and Carry were poorly dressed.  Yet it is my duty to state that Ah Fe’s long fingers closed promptly and firmly over the half-dollar which Mrs. Tretherick extended to him.

Then he began to fumble in his blouse with a series of extraordinary contortions.  After a few moments, he extracted from apparently no particular place a child’s apron, which he laid upon the basket with the remark: 

“One piecee washman flagittee.”

Then he began anew his fumblings and contortions.  At last his efforts were rewarded by his producing, apparently from his right ear, a many-folded piece of tissue paper.  Unwrapping this carefully, he at last disclosed two twenty-dollar gold pieces, which he handed to Mrs. Tretherick.

“You leavee money topside of blulow, Fiddletown.  Me findee money.  Me fetchee money to you.  All lightee.”

“But I left no money on the top of the bureau, John,” said Mrs. Tretherick earnestly.  “There must be some mistake.  It belongs to some other person.  Take it back, John.”

Ah Fe’s brow darkened.  He drew away from Mrs. Tretherick’s extended hand, and began hastily to gather up his basket.

“Me no takee it back.  No, no!  Bimeby pleesman he catchee me.  He say, ‘God damn thief!—­catchee flowty dollar:  come to jailee.’  Me no takee back.  You leavee money topside blulow, Fiddletown.  Me fetchee money you.  Me no takee back.”

Mrs. Tretherick hesitated.  In the confusion of her flight, she might have left the money in the manner he had said.  In any event, she had no right to jeopardize this honest Chinaman’s safety by refusing it.  So she said:  “Very well, John, I will keep it.  But you must come again and see me—­” here Mrs. Tretherick hesitated with a new and sudden revelation of the fact that any man could wish to see any other than herself—­“and, and—­Carry.”