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Lash, the carpenter, advocated it strenuously at Bulcher's grocery store in the evenings, because, they said, they were at the mercy of Phibbs, the package man, who brought their wares on his slow, creaking cart over the dusty turnpike from Mercer. But others, looking into the future, objected to a convenience which might result in a diminution of what little trade they had.
"Let us hope," said he, "that they will prove all you desire. It would break my heart, Jane, to see Elmhurst turned into a hospital." Phibbs arrived with the spectacles, and Jane Merrick read her letter, her face growing harder with every line she mastered. Then she crumpled the paper fiercely in both hands, and a moment later smoothed it out carefully and replaced it in the envelope.
"Let me dress your hair at the same time," said Louise, pleadingly. "It looks really frowsy, and I can talk while I work." "I can't lift my left hand," said the invalid, flushing, "and Phibbs is a stupid ass."
Martha reflected. "I do not think she did, sir." "Are you accustomed to hiring maids without recommendations?" asked Mr. Burke. "Oh, Eliza had a letter from my cousin, Mrs. Hopkins, who lives in Elmwood." "Is Mrs. Hopkins your cousin?" asked Kenneth. "Yes, sir. She were a Phibbs before she married Erastus, and my name is Phibbs." "What did the letter from Mrs. Hopkins say?"
"Go and find James, and ask him to step here," commanded the mistress, "and then guard the opening in the hedge, and see that none of my nieces appear to bother him." Phibbs obediently started upon her errand, and came upon James in the tool-house, at the end of the big garden. He was working among his flower pots and seemed in a quieter mood than usual.
Moreover, Phibbs had related to Beth, whose devoted adherent she was, all of the conversation between Aunt Jane and Patricia, from which the girls learned they had nothing to fear from their cousin's interference. So they let her go her way, and the three only met at the state dinners, which Aunt Jane still attended, in spite of her growing weakness.
"But it's got to be done." "Not for a while yet, I hope, Miss Jane." "It won't be long, Phibbs. But I must try to live until my nieces come, and I can decide which of them is most worthy to care for the old place when I am gone." "Yes, Miss." "I've heard from two of them, already. They jumped at the bait I held out quickly enough; but that's only natural.
After that it became the daily program for Patsy to spend her mornings in Aunt Jane's little garden, and although they sometimes clashed, and, as Phibbs told Beth, "had dreadful fights," they both enjoyed these hours very much. The two girls became rather uneasy during the days their cousin spent in the society of Aunt Jane.
Even the dreadful accounts they received from Phibbs failed wholly to reassure them, and Louise redoubled her solicitious attentions to her aunt in order to offset the influence Patricia seemed to be gaining over her.
"Well, Mr. Phibbs, this is an unpleasant affair; but the fact is, I am Inspector Wield of the Detective Police, and I found these gloves under the pillow of the young woman that was murdered the other day, over in the Waterloo Road!" "Good Heaven!" says he. "He's a most respectable young man, and if his father was to hear of it, it would be the ruin of him!"
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