At this important moment she did not wish to occupy her mind with prattle and chat, and therefore departed from her usual custom of lunching with a friend or acquaintance.

Hitching her roan mare in front of a confectionery shop, she entered for refreshment.
Seated at a little table in the back room, with a cup of tea and some sandwiches before her, Miss Panney took more time over her slight meal than any previous customer had ever occupied in disposing of a similar repast, at least so the girl at the counter believed and averred to the colored man who did outside errands.

The girl thought that the old lady's deliberate method of eating proceeded from her want of teeth; but the man who had waited at dinners where Miss Panney was a guest contemptuously repudiated this assumption.
"I've seen her eat," said he, "and she's never behind nobody.

She's got all the teeth she wants for bitin'." "Then why doesn't she get through ?" asked the girl.

"When is she ever going to leave that table ?" "When she gits ready," answered the man; "that's the time Miss Panney does everything." Sipping her tea and nibbling her sandwich, Miss Panney considered the situation.