Oh, it was a terrible night, and poor St Croix, people felt very
sorry for him, and for Annie La Roue, who slept two whole days and
nights before she woke up. She had all her father's money in her room
that night; but they searched day after day and never found it."
Well, I didn't undeceive her. What's the use? Master St Croix was an
old privateers-man. He had drugged La Roue's daughter to rob her of
her money; had stolen two hundred pounds from the priest, and Como's
boat, and sold the old lady a piece of his toe-nail for eight or ten
pounds' worth in all. I never shake the faith of an ignorant person.
Suppose they do believe too much, it is safer than believing too
little. You may make them give up their creed, but they ain't always
quite so willing to take your's. It is easier to make an infidel than
a convert. So I just let folks be, and suffer them to skin their own
eels.
After that she took to paying me compliments on my French, and I
complimented her on her good looks, and she confessed she was very
handsome when she was young, and all the men were in love with her,
and so on. Well, when I was about startin', I inquired what she had to
sell in the eatin' line.
"Eggs and fish," she said, "were all she had in the house."
On examining the barrel containing the former, I found a
white-lookin', tasteless powder among them.
"What's that?" said I.
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