Brother William said: “Well, I won’t;” and then, as the pins were taken from Martha’s red lips—so great is the falsity of man—he bent down and let his lips take the place of the pins, and Martha said never a word.
“Joe’s wife said yesterday that she didn’t mean to come and do for me much longer,” said Brother William suddenly.
“Why not?” said Martha.
“Because she said I’d best ask you.”
“And are you going to ask me, William?”
“Yes. When will you come altogether?” he said softly.
Martha glanced round once more, as if in search of that spot of dirt which would keep eluding her search. Then she raised her eyes to Brother William’s shirt front with a triumphant flash, feeling sure that she would see a button off, or a worn hole; but there was neither; and when she turned her eyes upon his hands, the wristbands were not a bit frayed.
“I don’t know,” she said dubiously. “Do you want me to come?”
He nodded, and they went out of the dairy into the sitting room.
“I’ll tell Fanny,” he said. “I hope she’ll be pleased.”