“I cal’late you ain’t left no room for me to doubt that. You’ve made that purty tolerable plain. I reckon we’re getting too old for that now, anyway. Leastwise, I be,” he finished hurriedly, noting a rising color in her thin cheeks.
“Huh!” she grunted indignantly. “A body’d think you was the grandfather of Methuselah to hear you talk.”
“I am getting on purty well, Clemmie.”
“Josiah Pott! If you come over here to talk that nonsense you can go right back.”
“I really come on another matter. I want you to come over and keep house for me and another man. We’re living on the old place, and it ain’t what you’d call hum sweet hum for two males to live alone in a big house like mine. Thought maybe you wouldn’t mind keeping the decks swabbed and the galley full of pervisions if I’d only pay you the same as you’re getting here. I’d–––”
“That will be enough!”
“Thought maybe ’twould.”
“I’ll not listen to another word from you!” exclaimed the shocked Miss Pipkin. The expression 126 on her face gave the Captain the feeling that he had dived into icy water, and had come up suddenly against a hidden beam.
“Two of you! And you want me to do your work! Well, of all the nerve!”