"I'm afraid I cannot, and I do not think it would be best." He understood how to make his refusal palatable. "I think you are getting along well. I have been intending to tell you that I am satisfied with your management. The kitchen is clean and quiet; and the meals are prompt, much more so than they were for a long time before you came. They are well cooked, too."
"Thank you! but my women are worked beyond endurance. It makes my heart ache to see those poor cripples lifting out tubs of swill that two men could scarce handle; and bucketful after bucketful of that large, heavy coal from the cellar, with all of their other lifting and scrubbing."
"I'll see what can I do about sending you another woman. Do the best you can!"
"I will certainly do that."
After he had gone out, O'Brien said to me,—
"The Deputy wouldn't be hard on us, if he could help it."
I did the best I could. I told them I was sorry to make them work so hard; but I could not help it. I asked them to do things, when I could possibly do it, rather than give a command.
When I had time I gave them a reason, for an order, and however tired they might be, that was sure to secure ready and prompt acquiescence.
"You must get on more steam as quick as you can, because we are a little behind time with our dinner," was sure to set Allen's fire going at once.
If I came in, and found them sitting down, idly gossiping away the time before their work was done, I had only to say,—