'"Nature or no nature," sez she, "you take your arm away or I'll tell
Bragin, an' he'll alter the nature av your head. Fwhat d'you take me
for?" she sez.

'"A woman," sez I; "the prettiest in barricks."

'"A _wife_," sez she; "the straightest in cantonmints!"

'Wid that I dropped my arm, fell back tu paces, an' saluted, for I saw
that she mint fwhat she said.'

'Then you know something that some men would give a good deal to be
certain of. How could you tell?' I demanded in the interests of Science.

'"Watch the hand," said Mulvaney; "av she shuts her hand tight, thumb
down over the knuckle, take up your hat an' go. You'll only make a
fool av yoursilf av you shtay. But av the hand lies opin on the lap,
or av you see her thryin' to shut ut, an' she can't,--go on! She's not
past reasonin' wid."

'Well, as I was sayin', I fell back, saluted, an' was goin' away.

'"Shtay wid me," she sez. "Look! He's comin' again."

'She pointed to the veranda, an' by the Hoight av Impart'nince, the
Corp'ril man was comin' out av Bragin's quarters.

'"He's done that these five evenin's past," sez Annie Bragin. "Oh,
fwhat will I do!"