conversation　without　knowing　it；　and　fell　to　watching　and　guessing　and
  talking　to　herself：
  〃Now　that　hand　is　going　to　take　that　coffee　to　no；　it's　gone　to　the　other
  mouth；　I　can't　understand　it；　and　how；　here　is　the　dark…complected　hand
  with　a　potato　in　its　fork；　I'll　see　what　goes　with　itthere；　the
  light…complected　head's　got　it；　as　sure　as　I　live！〃
  Finally　Rowena　said：
  〃Ma；　what　is　the　matter　with　you？　　Are　you　dreaming　about　something？〃
  The　old　lady　came　to　herself　and　blushed；　then　she　explained　with　the
  first　random　thing　that　came　into　her　mind：　〃I　saw　Mr。　Angelo　take　up　Mr。
  Luigi's　coffee；　and　I　thought　maybe　hesha'n't　I　give　you　a　cup；　Mr。
  Angelo？〃
  〃Oh　no；　madam；　I　am　very　much　obliged；　but　I　never　drink　coffee；　much　as
  I　would　like　to。　　You　did　see　me　take　up　Luigi's　cup；　it　is　true；　but　if
  you　noticed；　I　didn't　carry　it　to　my　mouth；　but　to　his。〃
  〃Y…es；　I　thought　you　did：　Did　you　mean　to？〃
  〃How？〃
  The　widow　was　a　little　embarrassed　again。　　She　said：
  〃I　don't　know　but　what　I'm　foolish；　and　you　mustn't　mind；　but　you　see；
  he　got　the　coffee　I　was　expecting　to　see　you　drink；　and　you　got　a　potato
  that　I　thought　he　was　going　to　get。　　So　I　thought　it　might　be　a　mistake
  all　around；　and　everybody　getting　what　wasn't　intended　for　him。〃
  Both　twins　laughed　and　Luigi　said：
  〃Dear　madam；　there　wasn't　any　mistake。　　We　are　always　helping　each　other
  that　way。　　It　is　a　great　economy　for　us　both；　it　saves　time　and　labor。
  We　have　a　system　of　signs　which　nobody　can　notice　or　understand　but
  ourselves。　　If　I　am　using　both　my　hands　and　want　some　coffee；　I　make　the
  sign　and　Angelo　furnishes　it　to　me；　and　you　saw　that　when　he　needed　a
  potato　I　delivered　it。〃
  〃How　convenient！〃
  〃Yes；　and　often　of　the　extremest　value。　　Take　the　Mississippi　boats；　for
  instance。　　They　are　always　overcrowded。　　There　is　table…room　for　only
  half　of　the　passengers；　therefore　they　have　to　set　a　second　table　for　the
  second　half。　　The　stewards　rush　both　parties；　they　give　them　no　time　to
  eat　a　satisfying　meal；　both　divisions　leave　the　table　hungry。　　It　isn't
  so　with　us。　　Angelo　books　himself　for　the　one　table；　I　book　myself　for
  the　other。　　Neither　of　us　eats　anything　at　the　other's　table；　but　just
  simply　worksworks。　　Thus；　you　see　there　are　four　hands　to　feed　Angelo；
  and　the　same　four　to　feed　me。　　Each　of　us　eats　two　meals。〃
  The　old　lady　was　dazed　with　admiration；　and　kept　saying；　〃It　is　perfectly
  wonderful；　perfectly　wonderful〃　and　the　boy　Joe　licked　his　chops
  enviously；　but　said　nothingat　least　aloud。
  〃Yes；〃　continued　Luigi；　〃our　construction　may　have　its　disadvantagesin
  fact；　has　but　it　also　has　its　compensations　of　one　sort　and　another。　Take
  travel；　for　instance。　　Travel　is　enormously　expensive；　in　all　countries；
  we　have　been　obliged　to　do　a　vast　deal　of　itcome；　Angelo；　don't　put　any
  more　sugar　in　your　tea；　I'm　just　over　one　indigestion　and　don't　want
  another　right　awaybeen　obliged　to　do　a　deal　of　it；　as　I　was　saying。
  Well；　we　always　travel　as　one　person；　since　we　occupy　but　one　seat；　so　we
  save　half　the　fare。〃
  〃How　romantic！〃　interjected　Rowena；　with　effusion。
  〃Yes；　my　dear　young　lady；　and　how　practical　too；　and　economical。　　In
  Europe；　beds　in　the　hotels　are　not　charged　with　the　board；　but
  separatelyanother　saving；　for　we　stood　to　our　rights　and　paid　for　the
  one　bed　only。　　The　landlords　often　insisted　that　as　both　of　us　occupied
  the　bed　we　ought〃
  〃No；　they　didn't；〃　said　Angelo。　　〃They　did　it　only　twice；　and　in　both
  cases　it　was　a　double　beda　rare　thing　in　Europeand　the　double　bed
  gave　them　some　excuse。　　Be　fair　to　the　landlords；　twice　doesn't
  constitute　'often。'〃
  〃Well；　that　dependsthat　depends。　　I　knew　a　man　who　fell　down　a　well
  twice。　　He　said　he　didn't　mind　the　first　time；　but　he　thought　the　second
  time　was　once　too　often。　　Have　I　misused　that　word；　Mrs。　Cooper？〃
  〃To　tell　the　truth；　I　was　afraid　you　had；　but　it　seems　to　look；　now；　like
  you　hadn't。〃　　She　stopped；　and　was　evidently　struggling　with　the
  difficult　problem　a　moment；　then　she　added　in　the　tone　of　one　who　is
  convinced　without　being　converted；　〃It　seems　so；　but　I　can't　somehow　tell
  why。〃
  Rowena　thought　Luigi's　retort　was　wonderfully　quick　and　bright；　and　she
  remarked　to　herself　with　satisfaction　that　there　wasn't　any　young　native
  of　Dawson's　Landing　that　could　have　risen　to　the　occasion　like　that。
  Luigi　detected　the　applause　in　her　face；　and　expressed　his　pleasure　and
  his　thanks　with　his　eyes；　and　so　eloquently　withal；　that　the　girl　was
  proud　and　pleased；　and　hung　out　the　delicate　sign　of　it　on　her　cheeks。
  Luigi　went　on；　with　animation：
  〃Both　of　us　get　a　bath　for　one　ticket；　theater　seat　for　one　ticket；
  pew…rent　is　on　the　same　basis；　but　at　peep…shows　we　pay　double。〃
  〃We　have　much　to'　be　thankful　for；〃　said　Angelo；　impressively；　with　a
  reverent　light　in　his　eye　and　a　reminiscent　tone　in　his　voice；　〃we　have
  been　greatly　blessed。　　As　a　rule；　what　one　of　us　has　lacked；　the　other；
  by　the　bounty　of　Providence；　has　been　able　to　supply。　　My　brother　is
  hardy；　I　am　not；　he　is　very　masculine；　assertive；　aggressive；　I　am　much
  less　so。　　I　am　subject　to　illness；　he　is　never　ill。　　I　cannot　abide
  medicines；　and　cannot　take　them；　but　he　has　no　prejudice　against　them；
  and〃
  〃Why；　goodness　gracious；〃　interrupted　the　widow；　〃when　you　are　sick；　does
  he　take　the　medicine　for　you？〃
  〃Always；　madam。〃
  〃Why；　I　never　heard　such　a　thing　in　my　life！　　I　think　it's　beautiful　of
  you。〃
  〃Oh；　madam；　it's　nothing；　don't　mention　it；　it's　really　nothing　at　all。〃
  〃But　I　say　it's　beautiful；　and　I　stick　to　it！〃　cried　the　widow；　with　a
  speaking　moisture　in　her　eye。
  〃A　well　brother　to　take　the　medicine　for　his　poor　sick　brotherI　wish　I
  had　such　a　son；〃　and　she　glanced　reproachfully　at　her　boys。　　〃I　declare
  I'll　never　rest　till　I've　shook　you　by　the　hand；〃　and　she　scrambled　out
  of　her　chair　in　a　fever　of　generous　enthusiasm；　and　made　for　the　twins；
  blind　with　her　tears；　and　began　to　shake。　　The　boy　Joe　corrected　her：
  〃You're　shaking　the　wrong　one；　ma。〃
  This　flurried　her；　but　she　made　a　swift　change　and　went　on　shaking。
  〃Got　the　wrong　one　again；　ma；〃　said　the　boy。
  〃Oh；　shut　up；　can't　you！〃　said　the　widow；　embarrassed　and　irritated。
  〃Give　me　all　your　hands；　I　want　to　shake　them　all；　for　I　know　you　are
  both　just　as　good　as　you　can　be。〃
  It　was　a　victorious　thought；　a　master…stroke　of　diplomacy；　though　that
  never　occurred　to　her　and　she　cared　nothing　for　diplomacy。　　She　shook　the
  four　hands　in　turn　cordially；　and　went　back　to　her　place　in　a　state　of
  high　and　fine　exultation　that　made　her　look　young　and　handsome。
  〃Indeed　I　owe　everything　to　Luigi；〃　said　Angelo；　affectionately。
  〃But　for　him　I　could　not　have　survived　our　boyhood　days；　when　we　were
  friendless　and　poorah；　so　poor！　　We　lived　from　hand　to　mouth…lived　on
  the　coarse　fare　of　unwilling　charity；　and　for　weeks　and　weeks　together
  not　a　morsel　of　food　passed　my　lips；　for　its　character　revolted　me　and　I
  could　not　eat　it。　　But　for　Luigi　I　should　have　died。　　He　ate　for　us
  both。〃
  〃How　noble！〃　sighed　Rowena。
  〃Do　you　hear　that？〃　said　the　widow；　severely；　to　her　boys。　　〃Let　it　be　an
  example　to　youI　mean　you；　Joe。〃
  Joe　gave　his　head　a　barely　perceptible　disparaging　toss　and　said：　〃Et　for
  both。　　It　ain't　anything　I'd　'a'　done　it。〃
  〃Hush；　if　you　haven't　got　any　better　manners　than　that。　　You　don't　see
  the　point　at　all。　　It　wasn't　good　food。〃
  〃I　don't　careit　was　food；　and　I'd　'a'　et　it　if　it　was　rotten。〃
  〃Shame！　　Such　language　！　　Can't　you　understand？　　They　were　starving…
  actually　starvingand　he　ate　for　both；　and〃
  〃Shucks！　　you　gimme　a　chance　and　I'll〃
  〃There；　nowclose　your　head！　　and　don't　you　open　it　again　till　you're
  asked。〃
  ＇Angelo　goes　on　and　tells　how　his　parents　the　Count　and　Countess　had
  to　fly　from　Florence　for　political　reasons；　and　died　poor　in　Berlin
  bereft　of　their　great　property　by　confiscation；　and　how　he　and　Luigi
  had　to　travel　with　a　freak…show　during　two　years　and　suffer
  semi…starvation。＇
  〃That　hateful　black…bread；　but　I　seldom　ate　anything　during　that　time；
  that　was　poor　Luigi's　affair〃
  〃I'll　never　Mister　him　again！〃　cried　the　widow；　with　strong　emotion；
  〃he's　Luigi　to　me；　from　this　out！〃
  〃Thank　you　a　thousand　times；　madam；　a　thousand　times！　though　in　truth　I
  don't　deserve　it。〃
  〃Ah；　Luigi　is　always　the　fortunate　one　when　honors　are　showering；〃　said
  Angelo；　plaintively；　〃now　what　have　I　done；　Mrs。　　Cooper；　that　you　leave
  me　out？　　Come；　you　must　strain　a　point　in　my　favor。〃
  〃Call　you　Angelo？　　Why；　certainly　I　will；　what　are　you　thinking　of！　　In
  the　case　of　twins；　why〃
  〃But；　ma；　you're　breaking　up　the　storydo　let　him　go　on。〃
  〃You　keep　still；　Rowena　Cooper；　and　he　can　go　on　all　the　better；　I
  reckon。　　One　interruption　don't　hurt；　it's　two　that　makes　the　trouble。〃
  〃But　you've　added　one；　now；　and　that　is　three。〃
  〃Rowena！　　I　will　not　allow　you　to　talk　back　at　me　when　you　have　got
  nothing　rational　to　say。〃
  CHAPTER　III
  ANGELO　IS　BLUE
  ＇After　breakfast　the　whole　village　crowded　in；　and　there　was　a　grand
  reception　in　honor　of　the　twins；　and　at　the　close　of　it　the　gifted
  〃freak〃　captured　everybody's　admiration　by　sitting　down　at　the　p