The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-12-12

I
she evidently OWNED portended disaster.
Garry turned pale. Il knew II" she
cried. as she tore it open. II felt certain
somsthing would happen to the children if
left them. Yes. I told you 50. Tommy
has broken his arm. What shall 1 do?"
Poor little chap" said her brother, much
concerned. You must go back TO him. Of
course. He'll clamoring for Mummy.
| Never mind me; l shall all right. You
| go"
Dear. dearl And the omnibus starts in
half an hour. l ought TO go and get ready
| directly; but / must speak to Miss Dove
before 1 go. Please send her to me at
| once"
| maid. 4 was to take your orders for the
! day"
"How unlucky! And I particularly
wanted to tell her about ell the little things
you require, Eustace. Wen, must write
! And the little lady hustled off distracted.
/ A long morning spent in the exhausting
| occupation Of watching the waves sent the
| invalid in to his 1 o'clock dinner with IN
w0nted appetite, and great was his indigna-
| ton when the mutton proved so UNDERGONE
/ as to be uneatable.
My good girl" he said to Mary Anne,
who answered his impatient summons, lam
| 1 dog. that you should give me raw meat
| Take that stuff out and cook it again"
please, sir. it wasn't me- responded
! the injured Mary Anne: lit was missis
I
/ she hadn't give herself time enough"
Presently she reappeared with a plate
/ Of broiled slices and message.
''AIissis was awfully sorry about the
| meat, but she hoped the pie-crust would
! make amends"
AT any rate, 'missis' is rather a cool
hand and expresses herself oddly, unless
Mary Anne embroiders," thought Eustace
TO himself
The pie-crust did make amends amply,
Il. IL
ing away he inquired whether the dodgers
habitually lived upon tarts-they seemed
50 much more successful in that depart
ment.
Law. sir" replied the damsel with a
giggle, you are the very first lodger ever
we had. But as to the crust you see, Miss
Dove always was fond Of coming into the
kitchen TO make tarts and mess about
with her bits of tea cakes and things; so
she says to me. Mary Anne she says.
If you can make a light crust you can do
anything, so here goes she says; but L
knew that their mutton wouldn't be done
enough. Oh, bother the meat she says
when 1 told her it had ought to be basted.'
But, my good girl, dodgers aren't the
only people that eat. / suppose she and
you don't live upon pastry. How comes
it that Miss Dove is such a novice?"
Why, you see. sir, Mrs. Bloomer she
always does the cooking, but she was sent
for all on the sudden the day before yes
terday to go and nurse a sick sister
"Oh, Is that It? Well, it is to be hoped
cooks sister may soon be restored to
health: but 1 should have thought a per-
| son who let lodgings might have under
stood how TO cook a plain joint
Next morning Capt. fairfield, having
wearied himself in vain with the assist
ance Of Mary Anne, to hit upon anything
for dinner that was not out Of season or
otherwise unattainable came TO the con-
I II
meals was to great 10 be sustained so in
spite Of the failure Of Yesterdays roast
he determined to put himself unreservedly
in Miss Doves hands and ask her TO cater
for him. feeling that in resource she would
probably be Mary Anne's superior.
Il really must see Miss Dove" he said.
and If she is out, as she always seems to
be, l viii wait till she comes in"
Mary Anne went away with this ulti-
matum, and he flung himself at full length
on the sofa with pipe and newspaper to
Presently the door behind him opened
gently.
oh Miss Dove" he said, languidly
turning. II sent for you to and broke
off abruptly. for il was the tall girl in
black, the acknowledges, who stood in the
doorway. He sprang to his feet with an
Il beg your pardon"
Not at ali" she said. coming a step
forward. you sent for me?'
What n blunderer that Mary Anne is"
he said to himself. Aloud-'I wanted to
see Miss Dove
"Yes?" | am Miss Dove"
''Why. this must be a niece or some
thing. How very extraordinary was
his inward comment. He looked at her
with manifest perplexity. 1t was not that
she was too gorgeOusly apparelled: quite
the contrary; nothing could have been
simpler than her plain black serge skirt
and white friled blouse, only the skirt
hung so gracefully; the blouse was so
white and crisp. She looked exactly the
sort Of girl he might have been introduced
to as a partner for tennis; only a good
deal more striking than most.
Indeed" he stammered; but | meant
yOur-yOur aunt, is she2-the landlady."
But 1 am your landlady. There is no
Tabitha Dove but me-"
There was a moments pause after this
dramuc announcement. Miss Dove tried
to meet his look of bewildered dismay
with an expression Of dignifed uncon-
sciOusness but il was too much for her;
she broke into a laugh, eXclaiming:
"Oh, forgive me for laughing; it is too
silly, but 1 feel as if 1 were acting
charade and had broken down."
The sound Of her mirth was infectious,
but Eustace was too completely mysti-
fed to yield TO it, especially as he was by
no means sure he was not being made a
fool Of He watched her till her gravity
But / don't understand. Is it a hoax
or a practical joke or what?'
mo. indeed; only a series Of misfortunes
and muddles. 1t was not exactly what Z
intended, but 1 thought 1 could keep my
self in the background and worry through;
only you would insist on seeing me, and
then you would be so astonished at me
it upset my gravity. But / am a great
deal older than l look"-with a sudden
afterthought she added. 81 am extremely
sorry about the mutton. Perhaps You
would rather go elsewhere where the
cooking might be better?'
Not unless you wish me to- Is it in
convenient to you tina 1 should stay?"
He was far too much intrigue TO be
anxious to cut short his sOjourn, but the
situation still perplexed him.
In one way it is rather. because my
old servant is away; but don't know
that 1 want you to go, unless you are I'M
comfortable, for it will make me look
such a fool and, besides, it will give my
lodgings n bad name if / lose my first
people within a week"
The mixture of childish naivete with an
effort to take a business-like view which
characterized this speech amused him i'm
mensely, but he was still as much befOgged
as ever.
81 think" he said, cit would simplify
matters If you would tell me what are
those misfortunes and muddles you re-
ferred to, and If you would not mind ex-
planning how you come to be letting lodg-
ings; for / am sure you will not think me
prise one in that capacity"
She closed the door and took the chair
he placed for her with an easy air that
helped to set him. tOo at ease