“I guess I will,” said Maria. “I'll knock low on the wall when I get home, if he isn't there.”
The cellar stairs connected with the kitchen on either side of the Stillman house. Both women flew out into the kitchen, and Maria disappeared down the cellar stairs, with a little lamp which Eunice lit for her. Then Eunice waited. Presently there came a muffled knock on the wall.
“No, he didn't come in,” Eunice said to her husband, as she re-entered the sitting-room.
Suddenly Eunice pressed her ear close to the sitting-room wall. Two treble voices were audible on the other side, but not a word of their conversation. “Maria and she are talking,” said Eunice.
What Aunt Maria was saying was this, in a tone of sharp wonder:
“Where is he?”
“Who?” responded Maria.
“Why, you know as well as I do—George Ramsey.” Aunt Maria looked sharply at her niece. “I hope you asked him in, Maria Edgham?” said she.
“No, I didn't,” said Maria.
“Why didn't you?”