They wiped their lips slowly, drawing breath again.

There was a moment's silence.
"Say," said Zerkow at last, "how about those gold dishes you told me about the last time you were here ?" "What gold dishes ?" inquired Maria, puzzled.
"Ah, you know," returned the other.

"The plate your father owned in Central America a long time ago.

Don't you know, it rang like so many bells?
Red gold, you know, like oranges ?" "Ah," said Maria, putting her chin in the air as if she knew a long story about that if she had a mind to tell it.

"Ah, yes, that gold service." "Tell us about it again," said Zerkow, his bloodless lower lip moving against the upper, his claw-like fingers feeling about his mouth and chin.