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 Maria placed her hands on the table opposite the man and bent over to look into his face.

Oman is all berry much de same," she said in a low, persuasive voice. "Dey comes an' dey goes. One sattify a man quick as annuduh. Dey is lots ob bettuh lookin' gal dan Bess. She fix fuh life now wid dat boy. I ax yuh go an' lef she. Gib she uh chance."

"It tek long time tuh learn one 'oman," he said slowly. "Me an' Bess done fight dat all out dese fibe year gone."

"Yuh ain't goin' leabe she den?" There was an unusual note of pleading in the heavy voice.

"Not till Hell freeze."

After a moment he arose and turned to her.

"I gots tuh go out now. I ain't sho' wedder I goin' away tuhnight or wait fuh tuhmorruh night. I goin' look aroun' an' see how de lan' lay; but I'll be seein' yuh agin befo' I goes."

Maria regarded him for a long moment; the look of sadness in her face deepened to a heavy melancholy; but she said nothing.

Crown started for the street with his long, swaggering stride. The big woman watched him until he turned to the north at the entrance and passed from view. Then she