At the sound of her step upon the floor, the little Madam looked up quickly. A faint smile curled the corners of her mouth for a second, then vanished.
"Well, and what's brought you here, after all these weeks? I thought you had fallen into the well."
"I been stayin' with Miss Claire, I should say, Mrs. Ronald. An' since a week or ten days, when I went home, I been so took up with my house an' the fam'ly in gener'l, I ain't had a chance," Martha explained eagerly.
"Never mind apologizing. What's been the trouble with 'the house and the family in general'?"
"They got kind o' loose-jointed while I was away, so's I had to lick'm into shape again,—bring'm up to time. An' it kep' me hoppin'."
"You have hopped to some purpose, I hear. You and Dr. Ballard have been making a record for yourselves."
"Me?" repeated Martha, amazed. "I ain't done nothin'. But pshaw! I forgot! You're just tryin' to take a rise out o' me, as ushal."
"A what?"
"A rise. You know what I mean, ma'am. Tryin' to take my measure. That's what you're mostly up to—only folks ain't on to you."
Madam Crewe regarded her fixedly for a moment.