“Can you tell me how much it will be?” asked Joyce anxiously remembering that this was a momentous question and might yet present an impossible barrier to her plans. She looked from the driver to the chief in a troubled way, and the chief spoke up gruffly:
“Oh, you kin give him five bucks too ef you want fer keepin’ his tongue still, but he has to do what I say, and I say this here house is goin’ to be moved t’night. Look out there Sam, don’t you knock that there hangin’ garding off’n the end. That’s a part of the proposishun, an’ don’t wantta be destroyed. Get me?”
“Oh,” said Joyce, quite childishly clapping her hands. “You’ve saved the vine! Oh, thank you so much!”
“Sure,” said the chief, “sold it to you, didn’t I? Part o’ the house, ain’t it? I ’low to keep my contrac’s. Now, you kin run ’long, an’ be on the spot when we git thar to say where you want her put. This ain’t no place fer a girl while we’re movin’ her, you might git hurt.”
“Shall I pay you first?” she asked opening her little handbag.
“No,” said the chief quite crossly, “don’t take no pay till we deliver the goods. Down across from the stores you say? Stone house? Picket fence? Yep. I know the place. Ain’t but one picket fence in the place. Folks wouldn’t sell an inch of ground. You’re lucky! But then ennybody kin see you’re that kind. Run along. We’ll be along in a leetle while. You needn’t to worry.”
CHAPTER X
On winged feet Joyce retraced her steps and entered the diningroom she had left a few minutes before as eagerly as if it were her own home.
“I’m so glad I could come back right away,” she said. “The men have the truck all ready and said they would be along in a little while, and oh, I’m so thankful to you. Now, what can I do first?
“I could see you were a little troubled about that ham, never having tasted it cooked that way. Is there anything else we could make to help make up for the chops? Or couldn’t I go somewhere and find the butcher and ask him to let me have some more for you. I’d pay for them myself, because I really burned them up you know.”