"By time!" muttered Kenelm, as he shuffled slowly past the Captain's door."By time! I--I'll do somethin' desperate!"Next morning, when Captain Obed's hired motor car, with its owner, a Wellmouth Centre man, acting as chauffeur, rolled into the yard of the High Cliff House, a party of three came out to meet it.
John Kendrick and Emily Howes were of the party and they were wrapped and ready for the trip.The captain had expected them; but the third, also dressed for the journey, was Mrs.Thankful Barnes.
Thankful's plump countenance was radiant.
"I'm goin' after all," she announced."I'm goin' to the Fair with you, Cap'n Bangs.Now what do you think of that?...That is,"she added, looking at the automobile, "if you can find a place to put me."The captain's joy was as great as his surprise."Place to put you!" he repeated."If I couldn't do anything else I'd hang on behind, like a youngster to a truck wagon, afore you stayed at home.Good for you, Mrs.Thankful! But how'd you come to change your mind? Thought you couldn't leave."Thankful smiled happily."I didn't change my mind, Cap'n," she said."Imogene changed hers.She's a real, good sacrificin' body, the girl is.When she found I'd been asked and wouldn't go, she put her foot down flat.Nothin' would do but she should stay at home today and I should go.I knew what a disappointment 'twas to her, but she just made me do it.She'll go tomorrow instead;that's the way we fixed it finally.I'm awful glad for myself, but I do feel mean about Imogene, just the same."A few minutes later, the auto, with John, Emily and Thankful on the rear seat and Captain Obed in front with the driver, rolled out of the yard and along the sandy road toward Wellmouth Centre.About a mile from the latter village it passed a buggy with two people in it.The pair in the buggy were Caleb Hammond and Hannah Parker.
Captain Obed chuckled."There go the sweethearts," he observed.
"Handsome young couple, ain't they?"
The other occupants of the car joined in the laugh.Emily, in particular, was greatly amused.
"Why do you call them sweethearts, Captain?" she asked."You don't really suppose--"The captain burst into a laugh.
"What? Those two?" he said."No, no, I was only jokin'.I don't know about Hannah--single women her age are kind of chancey--but Ido know Caleb.He ain't takin' a wife to support, not unless she can support him.He had a chance to use a horse and buggy free for nothin', that's all; and it would be against his principles to let a chance like that go by.Cal'late he took Hannah 'cause he knew ice cream and peanuts don't agree with her dyspepsy and so he wouldn't have to buy any.Ho, ho! I wonder how Kenelm made out?
Wonder if he went on his own hook, after all?"In the kitchen of the High Cliff House Imogene was washing the breakfast dishes and trying to forget her disappointment.A step sounded in the woodshed and, turning, she beheld Mr.Parker.He saw her at the same time and the surprise was mutual.
"Why, hello!" exclaimed Imogene."I thought you'd gone to the Fair.""Hello!" cried Kenelm."Thought you'd gone to the Cattle Show."Explanations followed."What ARE you cal'latin' to do, then?"demanded Kenelm, moodily.
"Me? Stay here on my job, of course.That's what you're goin' to do, too, ain't it?"Mr.Parker thrust his hands into his pockets.
"No, by time, I ain't!" he declared, fiercely."I ain't got any job no more.I've quit, I have.""Quit! You mean you ain't goin' to work for Mrs.Thankful?""I ain't gain' to work for nobody.Why should I? I've got money enough to live on, ain't I? I've got an income of my own.I ain't told Mrs.Thankful yet, but I have quit, just the same."Imogene put down the dishcloth.
"This is your sister's doin's, I guess likely," she observed.
"No, it ain't! If--if it was, by time, I wouldn't do it! Hannah treats me like a dog--yes, sir, like a dog.I'm goin' to show her.
A man's got some feelin's, if he is a dog.""How are you goin' to show her?"
"I don't know, but I be.I'll run away, if I can't do nothin'
else.I'll show her I'm sick of her bossin'."Imogene seemed to be thinking.She regarded Mr.Parker with a steady and reflective stare.
"What are you lookin' at me like that for?" demanded Kenelm, after the stare had become unbearable.
"I was thinkin'.Humph! What would you do to fix it so's your sister would stop her bossin' and you could have your own way once in a while?""Do? By time, I'd do anything! Anything, by thunder-mighty!""You would? You mean it?"
"You bet I mean it!"
"Would you promise to stay right here and work for Mrs.Thankful as long as she wanted you to?""Course I would.I ain't anxious to leave.It's Hannah that's got that notion.Fust she was dead sot on my workin' here and now she's just as sot on my leavin'.""Do you know why she's so--what do you call it?--sot?"Kenelm fidgeted and looked foolish."Well," he admitted, "I--Iwouldn't wonder if 'twas account of you, Imogene.Hannah knows I--I like you fust rate, that we're good friends, I mean.She's--well, consarn it all!--she's jealous, that's what's the matter.
She's awful silly that way.I can't so much as look at a woman, but she acts like a plumb idiot.Take that Abbie Larkin, for instance.One time she--ho, ho! I did kind of get ahead of her then, though."Imogene nodded."Yes," she said; "I heard about that.Well, maybe you can get ahead of her again.You wait a minute."She went into the living-room.When she came back she had an ink-bottle, a pen and a sheet of note-paper in her hands.
"What's them things for?" demanded Mr.Kenelm.
"I'll tell you pretty soon.Kenelm, you--you asked me somethin' a while ago, didn't you?"Kenelm started."Why--why, Imogene," he stammered, "I--I don't know's I know what you mean.""I guess you know, all right.You did ask me--or, anyhow, you would if I hadn't said no before you had the chance.You like me pretty well, don't you, Kenelm?"This pointed question seemed to embarrass Mr.Parker greatly.He turned red and glanced at the door.
