"And Miss Ringgan manages farm, and garden, and all?" said
Mrs. Evelyn.
"She doos," said Philetus.
And receiving a gratuity, which he accepted without demonstration of any kind whatever, the basket-bearer, at length released, moved off.
"Poor Fleda!" said Miss Evelyn, as he disappeared with his load.
"She's a very clever girl," said Mrs. Evelyn, dismissing the subject.
"She's too lovely for anything!" said Constance. "Mr. Carleton, if you will just imagine we are in China, and introduct a pair of familiar chopsticks into this basket, I shall be repaid for the loss of a strawberry by the expression of ecstasy which will immediately spread itself over your features. I intend to patronize the natural mode of eating in future. I find the ends of my fingers decidedly odoriferous."
He smiled a little as he complied with the young lady's invitation, but the expression of ecstasy did not come.
"Are Mr. Rossitur's circumstances so much reduced?" he said, drawing nearer to Mrs. Evelyn.
"Do you know them?" exclaimed both the daughters at once.
"I knew Mrs. Rossitur very well some years ago, when she was in Paris."