“It’s enough, if it was known, to raise a war-whoop and stampede this yere family.” His glance at the door through which his wife had disappeared was pregnant with meaning.
“Family troubles?” asked the fat lady, as a gourmet might say “Truffles.”
“Looks like it,” said Leander, dismally. “Me and Johnnie don’t ask for nothin’ better than to bask in each other’s company; but our wives insists on keepin’ up the manœuvres of a war-dance the whole endoorin’ time.”
“So,” said the fat lady, as a gourmet might tell of a favorite way of preparing truffles, “it’s a case of wives?”
“Yes, marm, an’ teeth an’ nails an’ husbands thrown in, when they get a sight of each other’s petticoats.”
“I’ve known sisters-in-law not to agree,” helped on the fat lady, by way of an encouraging parallel.
“While I deplores usin’ such a comparison to the refinin’ and softenin’ inflooance of wimmen, the meetin’ of the Dax ladies by chanst anywheres has all the elements of danger and excitement that accompanies an Injun uprisin’.”
The travellers looked all manner of encouragement.
“You see, my wife’s a great housekeeper; her talent lies”—and here Leander winked knowingly—“in managin’ the help.”
“Land’s sake!” interrupted the fat lady. “Why don’t you kick?”