"Much obliged to you I be in behalf o' all the sisters, Brother Abe an' ter Angy tew. We know yew'll treat us right. We know that yew," resting her eyes on Abe's face, "will prove ter be the 'angel unawares' that we been entertainin', but we don't want yew ter waste yer money on a cart-load o' silk dresses. All we ask o' yew is jest ernough tew allow us ter advertise fer another brother member ter take yer place." Who could describe the expression that flashed across Abe's face?--hurt astonishment, wounded pride, jealous incomprehension. "Ter take my place!" he glanced about the hall defiantly. Who dared to enter there and take his place?--_his place_! "This is a old ladies' home," he protested. "What right you got a-takin' in a good-fer-nuthin' old man? Mebbe he'd rob yew er kill yew! When men git ter rampagin', yew can't tell what they might dew." Sarah Jane nodded her head knowingly, as if to exclaim: "I told yer so!" But Miss Abigail hurriedly explained that it was a man and wife that they wanted. She blushed as she added that of course they would not take a man without his wife. "No, indeed! That'd be highly improper," smirked Ruby Lee. Then Abe went stamping to the stairway, saying sullenly: "All right. I'll give yew all the money yew want fer advertisin', an' yew kin say he'll be clothed an' dressed proper, tew, an' supplied with terbaccer an' readin'-matter besides; but jest wait till the directors read that advertisement! They had me here sorter pertendin' ter be unbeknownst. Come on, Angy. Let 's go up-stairs an' git our things. Let's--" Aunt Nancy half arose from her chair, resting her two shaking hands on the arms of it. "Brother Abe," she called quaveringly after the couple, "I guess yew kin afford ter fix up any objections o' the directors." Angy pressed her husband's arm as she joined him in the upper hall. "Don't yer see, Abe. They don't realize that that poor old gentleman, whoever he may be, won't be yew. They jest know that _yew_ was _yew_; an' they want ter git another jest as near like yew as they kin." Abe grunted, yet nevertheless went half-way down-stairs again to call more graciously to the sisters that he would give them a reference any time for knowing how to treat a man just right. "That feller'll be lucky, gals," he added in tremulous tones. "I hope he'll appreciate yew as I allers done." Then Abe went to join Angy in the room which the sisters had given to him that bitter day when the cry of his heart had been very like unto: "_Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani_!"