Most likely he's
stealing the umbrellas while here I stand!"
"Show him in here!"
"What say?"
"Show him in here and don't pretend to be deaf when you hear as well as
I do."
"You don't want him in here, Mis' Tree--he's a tramp, I tell ye, and the
toughest looking"--
"Will you show him in here or shall I come and fetch him?"
"Well! of all the cantankerous,--here! come in, you! She wants to see
you," and a man appeared in the doorway--he was shabbily dressed, but it
was noticeable that the threadbare clothes were clean. Mrs. Tree looked
at him and then looked again.
"What do you want here?"
"I ask for food, I'm hungry."
"Are you a tramp?"
"Yes, Madam!"
"Anything else?"
Just here Direxia burst in with "That'll be enough--you come out in the
kitchen and I'll give you something to eat in a paper bag and you can
take it away with you."
"I shall be pleased to have you take supper with me, sir! Direxia, set a
place for this gentleman."
"I--cannot, Madam!--I thank you, but you must excuse me."
"Why can't you?"
"You must excuse me! If your woman will give me a morsel to eat in the
kitchen, or perhaps I had better go at once.
Pages:
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619