"A hot day, mam!" said he, halting.
Mrs. Agatha glanced up demurely, smiled, and gave all her attention to the peas again.
"You do be getting more observant every day, Sergeant!" she said, shelling away rapidly.
The Sergeant stroked his new-shaven cheek with a pair of pincers he chanced to be holding and stared down at her busy fingers; Mrs. Agatha possessed very shapely hands, soft and dimpled—of which she was also aware.
"But you look cool enough, mam," said he, ponderously, "and 'tis become a matter of——"
"Duty, Sergeant?" she enquired.
"No, mam, a matter of wonder to me how you manage it?"
"Belike 'tis all because Nature made me so."
"Natur', mam—aye, 'tis a wonderful institootion——"
"For making me cool?"