"Well, don' tbreakintothemoneybeforeIcomeback, " saidHerbert, asherosefromthetable."I' mafraidit' llturnyouintoamean, avariciousman, andweshallhavetodisownyou."
Hismotherlaughed, andfollowinghimtothedoor, watchedhimdowntheroad, andreturningtothebreakfasttable, wasveryhappyattheexpenseofherhusband' ' sknock, norpreventherfromreferringsomewhatshortlytoretiredsergeant-majorsofbibuloushabitswhenshefoundthatthepostbroughtatailor' sbill.
"Herbertwillhavesomemoreofhisfunnyremarks, Iexpect, whenhecomeshome, " shesaid, astheysatatdinner.
"Idaresay, " , pouringhimselfoutsomebeer; "butforallthat, thethingmovedinmyhand; thatI' llswearto."
"Youthoughtitdid, " saidtheoldladysoothingly.
"Isayitdid, " repliedtheother."Therewasnothoughtaboutit; Ihadjust—What' sthematter?"
, who, peeringinanundecidedfashionatthehouse, , , , , andhurriedlyunfasteningthestringsofherapron, putthatusefularticleofapparelbeneaththecushionofherchair.
Shebroughtthestranger, whoseemedillatease, , andlistenedinapreoccupiedfashionastheoldladyapologizedfortheappearanceoftheroom, andherhusband' scoat, , forhimtobroachhisbusiness, buthewasatfirststrangelysilent.
"I—wasaskedtocall, " hesaidatlast, andstoopedandpickedapieceofcottonfromhistrousers."IcomefromMawandMeggins."
Theoldladystarted."Isanythingthematter?" sheaskedbreathlessly."HasanythinghappenedtoHerbert? Whatisit? Whatisit?"
Herhusbandinterposed."There, there, mother, " hesaidhastily."Sitdown, anddon' ' venotbroughtbadnews, I' msure, sir." andheeyedtheotherwistfully.
