“Through! Didn't you know your supper was waitin' for you at home? Didn't I tell you to come home early and have MY supper ready? Didn't—”
Imogene interrupted. “I guess you did, ma'am,” she said, “but you see I asked him to stay here, so he stayed.”
“YOU asked him! And he stayed! Well, I must say! Kenelm, have you been eatin' supper alone with that—with that—”
She was too greatly agitated to finish, but as Kenelm did not answer, Imogene did, without waiting.
“Yes'm,” she said, soothingly. “It's all right. Kenelm and me can eat together, if we want to, I guess. We're engaged.”
“ENGAGED!” Almost everyone said it—everyone except Hannah; she could not say anything.
“Yes,” replied Imogene. “We're engaged to be married. We are, aren't we, Kenelm?”
Kenelm tried to back away still further, but the wall was behind him and he could only back against it. He was pale and he swallowed several times.
“Kenelm, dear,” said Imogene, “didn't you hear me? Tell your sister about our bein' engaged.”
Kenelm's mouth opened and shut. “Eh—eh—” he stammered. “I—I—”