Azuba wiped the suds from her wet hand and arm upon her apron. Then she wrapped it and the other arm in said apron and coughed. The cough was intended to arouse her employer from the trance into which he had, apparently, fallen. But it was without effect. Captain Daniel did stop staring at the envelope, but he merely transferred his gaze to the ink-spattered blotter and the ledger upon it, and stared at them.
“Well?” observed Azuba.
The captain started. “Hey?” he exclaimed, looking up. “Did you speak?”
“I said 'Well?'. I suppose that's speakin'?”
“'Well?' Well what?”
“Oh, nothin'! I was just wonderin'—”
“Wonderin' what?”
“I was wonderin' if that letter was anything important. Ain't you goin' to open it and see?”
“Hey? Open it? Oh, yes, yes. Well, I shouldn't wonder if I opened it some time or other, Zuba. I gen'rally open my letters. It's a funny habit I have.”
“Humph! Well, all right, then. I didn't know. Course, 'tain't none of my business what's in other folks's letters. I ain't nosey, land knows. Nobody can accuse me of—”