"The woman looked at me for a moment in despair, and shrugged her shoulders to indicate to me that there was no hotel in the neighborhood."
At this point of the story Mrs. Wharton disappeared, and Madame Caraman took advantage of her absence to ask a question.
"Has Minnie changed much since that time?"
"Oh, yes," replied the captain, his face lighting up with pleasure, "she has grown much handsomer."
This was too much for Madame Caraman's composure, and, coughing loudly, she pressed a handkerchief to her lips and vanished through the door.
The captain looked wonderingly after her, and, turning to Clary, said:
"My lady, I had much rather be alone with you! Not every one is able to appreciate the sacrifice Mrs. Wharton made for me."
"Please continue your story."
"Suddenly," said Wharton, taking up the thread of his story, "the squaw vanished, but returned soon after with a package carefully enveloped in leaves. She removed the leaves, and, with a light sob, handed me several pieces of roasted meat.