“Is he?” Anna’s tone was dry.
“Yes, ma’am, and he’s partial to a good deal more besides.” Maud relished an opportunity of airing her views to so superior a person as Anna, for it was not often that she had her undivided attention. “Major Richards knows a good-looking woman when he sees one.”
“Is that so?” indifferently, helping herself to more sugar.
“Yes, ma’am,” with emphasis. “Didn’t I see the look and smile he gave you yesterday?”
“Tut, tut! None of that.” Anna spoke with severity. “Major Richards is Miss Judith’s husband, a nicely spoken gentleman.”
“Sure he is.” Maud smiled broadly, nothing daunted by Anna’s frown. “And say, ain’t Miss Judith mashed on him? That cold kind always flops the worst when they fall in love.”
“Miss Judith isn’t the cold kind,” retorted Anna warmly. “She has plenty of temper about her, but I will say it’s tempered with proper pride.”
“I wonder if it was proper pride which made her quarrel so with Mr. Austin?” Maud’s snicker always grated on Anna, and again the waitress frowned. “Say, wasn’t his death awful?”
“Yes.” Anna sat back with a shiver. “Terrible!”
“And they dunno who done it,” pursued Maud with relish, her somewhat nasal voice slightly raised. “Leastways that is what Detective Ferguson told me this afternoon.”