The Argosy — page 296: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

280 Anne. taining a few trees and some sweet herbs. I{was sitting on the bench underneath the high, old-fashioned dining-room windows, thinking how hot the sun was, wishing for something to do, and wondering when Dr. Lewis meant to send me home. He and Mrs. Podd were out together; Anne was in the kitchen, teaching Mrs. Lake some French cookery. Miss Dinah sat in the dining-room, in her spectacles, darning table-cloths. *Oh, have you come in!” I suddenly heard her say, as the door opened. And it was Mrs. Podd’s voice which answered. “The sun is so very hot: poor dear Dr. Lewis felt quite ill. He is gone up to his room for half an hour to sit quietly in the shade. Where are my girls?” “I’m sure I don’t know,” replied Miss{Dinah: and it struck me that her tone of voice was rather crusty. ‘ Mrs. Podd, I must again ask you when you will let me have some money?” “As soon as I can,” said Mrs. Podd: who seemed, !by the sound, to have thrown herself upon a chair, and to be fanning|her face with a rustling newspaper. “But you have said that for some weeks. When is the ‘soon’ to be?” ““You know I have been disappointed in my remittances. It is really too hot for talking.” “I know that you say so. But we cannot go on without some money. The expenses of this house are heavy: how are they to be kept up if our guests don’t pay us? Indeed you must let me have'part of your account, if not all.” “My dear sweet creature, the house is not yours,” returned Mrs. Podd, in her most honeyed accents. “I manage it,” said Miss Dinah, “and am responsible for the getting-in of the accounts. You know that our custom is to be paid weekly.” “Exactly, dear Miss Dinah. But I am sure that my cousin, Emma Lake, would not wish to inconvenience me. I am indebted,to her; not to you; and I will pay her as soon asI can. My good creature, how can you sit stewing over that plain sewing this sultry after- noon !” “It is my work,” responded Miss Dinah. ‘We have not money to spend on new linen: trouble enough, it is, I can assure, you, to, keep the old decent.” “I should get somebody to help me. That young ‘woman, Miss Lewis, might do it: she seems to have been used to all kinds of work.” “T wish you'd shut that door: you’ve left it open,” retorted Miss Tinah: “I don’t like sitting in a draught, though it is hot. And I beg of you to understand that we really cannot continue to keep comicbooks.com