'Look across the street,' he whisper. 'That was his wife.'"

Charley choked back a cry in his throat. Jo had no intention of cutting
his story short. He had an end in view.

"I look across the street. There she is--' Ah, that is a fine woman
to see! I have never seen but one more finer to look at--here in
Chaudiere.' The man say: 'She marry first for money, and break her heart;
now she marry for love. If Beauty Steele come back-eh! sacra! that
would be a mess. But he is at the bottom of the St Lawrence--the courts
say so, and the Church say so--and ghosts don't walk here.' 'But if that
Beauty Steele come back alive, what would happen it?' I speak. 'His wife
is marry, blockhead!' he say.

"'But the woman is his,' I hanswer. 'Do you think she would go back to a
thief she never love from the man she love?' he speak back. 'She is not
marry to the other man,' I say, 'if Beauty Steele is . . .' 'He is
dead as a door,' he swear. 'You see that?' he go on, nodding down the
street. 'Well, that is Billy.' 'Who is Billy?' I ask. 'The brother of
her,' he say. 'Charley, he spoil Billy. Billy, he has not been the same
since Charley's death-he is so ashame of Charley. When he get drunk he
talk of nothing else. We all remember that Charley spoil him, and that
make us sorry for him.' 'Excuse me,' I say. 'I think that Billy is a
dam smart man. He is smart as Charley Steele.' 'Charley was the
smartes' man in the country,' he say again. 'I've got his practice now,
but this town will never be the same without him. Thief or no thief,
I wish he is alive here. By the Lord, I'd get drunk with him!' He was
all right, that man," Jo added finally.

Charley's agitation was hidden. His eyes were fixed on Jo intently.