And she went on to tell about her first meeting with the present Mrs. Bounder, and of all the subsequent intercourse and long chain of kindnesses, to which Pitt listened eagerly though with a some what distracted mind. At the end of her story Esther rose.
CHAPTER XLVIII.
A SETTLEMENT.
'Will you excuse me, if I leave you for one moment to go down into the kitchen?'
'What for,' said Pitt, stopping her.
'I want to see if Mrs. Barker has anything in the house for lunch.'
'Sit down again. She certainly will. She always does.'
'But I want to let her know that there will be one more at table to-day.'
'Never mind. If the supplies fall short, I will go out and get some oysters. I know the colonel likes oysters. Sit still, and let us talk while we can.'
Esther sat down, a little wondering, for Pitt was evidently in earnest; too much in earnest to be denied. But when she had sat down he did not begin to talk. He was thinking; and words were not ready. It was Esther who spoke first.