"Indeed you will not!" The man wheeled sharply, an angry red staining his cheeks.
"Oh, but Daniel, don't you see?—that'll simplify everything. She'll be working for ME, then, and I—"
"But I tell you I won't have—" interrupted the man, then stopped short. Susan herself stood in the doorway.
"I guess likely you was talkin' so loud you didn't hear me call you to dinner," she was saying. "I've called you two times already. If you want anything fit to eat you'd better come quick. It ain't gettin' any fitter, waitin'."
"Susan!" Before Susan could turn away, Mrs. Colebrook detained her peremptorily." Mr. Burton tells me that he owes you for past wages. Now—"
"NETTIE!" warned the man sharply.
But with a blithe "Nonsense, Daniel, let me manage this!" Mrs. Colebrook turned again to Susan. The man, not unlike the little Daniel of long ago who fled to the attic, shrugged his shoulders with a gesture of utter irresponsibility, turned his back and walked to the farther side of the room.
"Susan," began Mrs. Colebrook again, still blithely, but with just a shade of haughtiness, "my brother tells me your wages are past due; that he owes you at least fifty dollars. Now I'm going to pay them for him, Susan. In fact, I'm going to pay you sixty dollars, so as to be sure to cover it. Will that be quite satisfactory?"
Susan stared frankly.
"You mean ME—take money from you, ma'am,—to pay my back wages?" she asked.