“What is it?” he said hastily.
“Jus’ ’s soon as we get home I want you to take the saw—that little, sharp one, you know—and dock Billy’s tail. Cut it off as close as you can; do you hear?”
“I hear,” was the startled answer.
“Did you have a good time?” Lucinda had the temerity to ask, after a minute.
“I guess I could if I tried,” the lady replied; “but I’m too tired to try now.”
“How did you leave Mr. Jack?”
“I couldn’t stay forever, could I?” asked the traveler impatiently. “I thought that a week was long enough for the first time, anyhow.”
Lucinda subsided and the rest of the drive was taken in silence. When they reached the house Aunt Mary enveloped everything in one glance of blended weariness, scorn and contempt, and then made short work of getting to bed, where she slept the luxurious and dreamless sleep of the unjust until late that afternoon.
“My, but she’s come back a terror!” Lucinda cried to Joshua in a high whisper when he brought in the trunk. “She looks like nothin’ was goin’ to be good enough for her from now on.”
“Nothin’ ain’t goin’ to be good enough for her,” said Joshua calmly.