"Humph!" said Mr. Van Brunt; "I think a good supper ain't a bad thing, and I've no objection to folk's knowing it."
"Pshaw! I didn't mean you," said Miss Fortune; "I was thinking of those Lawsons, and other folks."
"If you're agoing to ask them to your bee, you ain't of my mind."
"Well, I am, though," replied Miss Fortune; "there's a good many hands of 'em; they can turn off a good lot of work in an evening; and they always take care to get me to their bees. I may as well get something out of them in return, if I can."
"They'll reckon on getting as much as they can get o' you, if they come, there's no sort of doubt in my mind. It's my belief Mimy Lawson will kill herself some of these days upon green corn. She was at home to tea one day last summer, and I declare I thought "
What Mr. Van Brunt thought he left his hearers to guess.
"Well, let them kill themselves if they like," said Miss Fortune; "I am sure I am willing; there'll be enough; I ain't agoing to mince matters when once I begin. Now, let me see. There's five of the Lawsons to begin with I suppose they'll all come Bill Huff and Jany, that's seven "
"That Bill Huff is as good-natured a fellow as ever broke ground," remarked Mr. Van Brunt. "Ain't better people in the town than them Huffs are."
"They're well enough," said Miss Fortune. "Seven and the
Hitchcocks, there's three of them, that'll make ten "
"Dennison's ain't far from there," said Mr. Van Brunt. "Dan
Dennison's a fine hand at a'most anything, in-doors or out."