"I let that soak in and got up and got busy. I thought if anything in the world would fetch him, or any man, it would be to see a good-looking woman, in a white apron, with rosy cheeks and eyes full of fun, buzzing around in his old bachelor’s den getting him a meal that was worth while. "Poor old Gott! The disease of thirty years’ standing had nearly ruined him! "I cooked him one of my famous steaks, Jack; you know how. Skillet red hot, a little butter on it, then drop the steak on, and, as quick as it sears on that side, over it goes on the other, and quick again back, and so on, holding the juice in rich and sweet. And the tea, Jack, the rare old china I had brought in my saddle-bags, too; and the omelet; if anything in the world would put heart into a man! "Eat it? You should have seen the dear old sweetheart. It almost made me cry. God only knows when he’d had a meal before. I found out afterwards that he had been writing two days, Jack, and then thought every day was to-morrow! "He was so near gone, you may judge of it yourself. After those two toddies and that good meal he—he—well, he didn’t seem to catch on yet! His mind didn’t seem to be any clearer. But it helped him, for he had courage enough to take my hand in his, and say, ’Lucretia, shall we sit out under the wisteria—and—and—look at the moon?’ "’I said _spoon_,’ I replied firmly, for I saw then, Jack, that I must be very gentle and firm with Gott, he was so badly afflicted! "I felt his hand quiver beneath mine. He tried to faint, but very firmly I led him out into the full daylight under the wisteria vine. And then very gently but firmly I began to woo him; poor dear, he was nearly gone! "He looked so killing, too, Jack; the little fellow with his gray hair, his handsome, red face, the fine turn of his large, intellectual head! Oh, that horrid disease! For he sat there in broad daylight mistaking the sun for the moon, and the little white jasmine blossoms above us for stars! I thought the best way to win him would be through the red lily he had worshipped so long. So, after sitting by him and taking his hand in mine, I said, ’Dear heart, do you notice what flower I am wearing to-day?’