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Still silence on Abbie's part, and only a little tremble of the lip told a close observer how deeply she felt the sharp tones and unmotherly words. Mrs. Ried spoke at last, in calm, measured accents. "My daughter and I, Mr. Foster, differ somewhat in regard to the duties and privileges of a host. I claim the right to set before my guests whatever I consider proper.
Abbie's a good woman none better but she generally don't notice a joke until she trips over it. I get consider'ble fun out of Abbie, take her by the large. 'New York! she says. 'Did anybody ever hear the beat of that? Do you cal'late New York's like South Denboro, where everybody knows everybody else?
What had developed this disagreeable state of mind save the confused upbraidings of her hitherto quiet conscience over the contrast between Cousin Abbie's life and hers.
All this impressed two thoughts on Ester's mind one, that Abbie, for some great reason unknown to, and unimagined by herself, actually of her own free will, arose early every morning, and busied herself over preparations for her father's breakfast; the other, that Abbie's mother said some disagreeable things to her, in a disagreeable way a way that would exceedingly provoke her, and that she wouldn't endure, she said to herself, with energy.
But, in spite of all objections, a dance at Abbie's was the rallying-cry of the community. All the respectable people in town put on their newest clothes and if they were new it did not so much matter what the style might be and thronged, on foot or in wagon, to the boarding-house door. They came to have a good time, and they always succeeded in their object.
She flung open the door, and ran down-stairs with a light step, a smiling face, and a fierce, tight heart. Bressant's health was now sufficiently established to warrant his moving back to Abbie's.
Abbie's watch lay ticking softly in its marble and velvet bed, and had to be examined and sighed over; and Abbie's diamond pin in the jewel-case also demanded attention then there were some blue and gold volumes to be peeped at, and Longfellow received more than a peep; then, most witching of all, "Say and Seal," in two volumes the very books Sadie had borrowed once, and returned, before Ester had a chance to discover how Faith managed about the ring.
No one but Ester knew how much these sentences cost her; but the swift, bright look telegraphed her from Abbie's eyes seemed to repay her. Ralph laughed outright. "Four against one," he said gaily. "I've gone over to the enemy's side myself, you see, on account of the pressure.
"But Roscoe knew. It's selling to-day at twenty- four." "I sold mine from the steamer by wireless at twenty even," Bella continued. "And now Abbie's wildly dressmaking. She's going with May and Tootsie to Paris." "And Carl?" Martha queried. "Oh, he'll finish Yale all right " "Which he would have done anyway, and you KNOW it," Martha charged, lapsing charmingly into twentieth-century slang.
The next morning Hiram walked into the post-office and called to Abbie, through the square window, to open the door. Once inside he loosened his fur driving-coat, took out a long, black wallet, picked out a thin slip of paper and laid it on Abbie's desk. "I have been thinking over what I told you yesterday. There's a check drawn to your order for two hundred dollars.
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