I saw her with her sleeves rolled up at the kitchen window the other day, and Jackson told me yesterday their cook left two weeks ago, and they haven't tried to hire another one.

He says her and her mother been doin' the housework a good while, and now they're doin' the cookin,' too.

'Course Bibbs wouldn't know that unless she's told him, and I reckon she wouldn't; she's kind o' stiffish-lookin', and Bibbs is too up in the clouds to notice anything like that for himself.

They've never asked him to a meal in the house, but he wouldn't notice that, either--he's kind of innocent.

Now I was thinkin'-- you know, I don't suppose we've hardly mentioned the girl's name at table since Jim went, but it seems to me maybe if--" Sheridan flung out his arms, uttering a sound half-groan, half-yawn.
"You're barkin' up the wrong tree! Go on back to bed, mamma!" "Why am I ?" she demanded, crossly.