“Miss Jinny! Miss Jinny! Wait a minit. Dar’s a man yander at de back do’ dat wants fer ter ax yo’ sumpin’ he say,” called Mammy, as she hurried through the hall just as Mrs. Carruth was leaving the house upon the following Monday morning.
“What is it, Mammy?” asked Mrs. Carruth, pausing.
“He say he want ter see yo’ pintedly.”
Mrs. Carruth retraced her steps and upon reaching the back porch found Mr. Pringle waiting to see her.
“Hope I haven’t delayed you, Mrs. Carruth, but I wanted to see you on a matter of business which might help both of us, you see. Ah, I thought—I thought mebbe you’d like to hear of it.”
“I certainly should like to if it is to my advantage, Mr. Pringle,” replied Mrs. Carruth, with a pleasant smile for the livery stable keeper, who stood self-consciously twirling his cap.
“Yes, ma’am. I thought so, ma’am. Well it’s this: Your stable, ma’am, up at the old place, are you usin’ it at all?”
“Not as a stable. It is more like a storehouse just now, for many things saved from the fire are stored there.”
“Could you put them somewhere else and rent the stable to me, ma’am? I’m much put to it to find room for my boarding horses, and the carriages; my place is not big, and I thought could I rent your stable I’d keep most of my boarding horses up there; it’s nearer to their owners you see, ma’am.”
Mrs. Carruth thought a moment before replying.