"I guess she thought she had to," Miss Phosie had returned with the feeling that perhaps she had said too much.
To-day, however, there was not much reason for Miss Phenie's presence in the kitchen, for, while Miss Phosie made the soda biscuits Ora could be setting the table. The lobsters had been boiled that morning, so there were only the fish and potatoes to fry, and the preserves to be set on the table with the cake. Miss Phenie, in tight fitting black alpaca, rocked comfortably and asked questions till Gwen, by the window, saw Luther Williams pass. "Who is that, Miss Phenie?" she asked. "That tall man with the serious face and the kind eyes?"
"I guess you mean Mr. Williams. I presume he is taking his after supper smoke. He boards with us, you know."
"Oh!" Gwen wondered why he had not appeared at the table. "Is he a relative of yours?"
"None in the world, and we never heard that he had any. He gets a daily paper and advertising letters sometimes, but I never knew him to get any other mail. He's real well educated, and reads everything he can lay his hands on, but he is a very quiet man. He never talks much to anybody, but there ain't a kinder man living. If anybody's in trouble he's the first on hand, and the first to put his hand in his pocket."
"Is he a fisherman?"
"Yes. His pound is just off your point. He's been real lucky and it's said he's right well off."
"Has he boarded with you long?"
"Ever since he came to the island; that's about twenty years now. He came for a week's fishing, he said, and he's stayed ever since. I never heard a word against Mr. Williams. Everybody likes him, and if he is rather close-mouthed you don't hear him speak ill of anyone. He's no more trouble than a kitten. You would scarcely know he was in the house and his room's as neat as a pin. He's not much for meeting strangers, so it ain't likely you'll see much of him if you do live in the same house. He ain't as sociable as father."
Gwen was rather sorry to hear this, for she liked the looks of the man in spite of the long stare he had given her at the stile.