"I am not honoured with any commission from Mrs. Busby. As I told you, this business is mine, not hers."
"Mis' Busby put her here in us's care; and us is bound to take care of her, Joe and me. Us can't take no orders but from Mis' Busby."
"No; but you can take money? Mrs. Busby, I think, will not pay you. I will. But I must do it now. I am going away, and may probably never come this way again."
"I don't see what you have to do, a payin' Miss Carpenter's o win's," said Prissy, eyeing him suspiciously from head to foot.
"The best reason in the world.—Rotha, will you go and get ready?"—and then as the door closed upon Rotha Mr. Southwode went on.—"Miss Carpenter has been under my care ever since she lost her mother. I placed her with her aunt when I was obliged to go abroad, to England; and now I am come to take her away."
"To take Rotha away?" cried Prissy.
"To take Miss Carpenter away."
"Maybe Mis' Busby don't want her to go."
"Maybe not. But that is of no consequence. Let me have your account, please."
"Be you goin' to many her?" Prissy asked suddenly.