Lucinda looked at her with interest.

"It’s that same arm again," said Aunt Mary, "just as I thought it was
settled for!" Her eyes seemed to fairly crackle with indignation. "Why
don’t she put it in a sling an’ have a little patience?"

Lucinda took the telegram and read it.

"’Pears like she can’t," she commented, in a tone like a buzz saw; "’pears
like it’s goin’ to be took off."

Aunt Mary reached forth her hand for the telegram and after a second
reading shook her head in a way that, if her companion had been a
globe-trotter, would have brought matadores and Seville to the front in
her mind in that instant.

"I declare," she said, "seems like I had enough on my mind without a cook,
too. What’s to be done now? I only know one thing! I ain’t goin’ to pay no
thousand dollars this week for no arm that wasn’t worth but three hundred
last week. Stands to reason that there ain’t no reason in that. I guess
you’d better bring me my desk, Lucinda; I’m goin’ to write to Mr.
Stebbins, an’ I’m goin’ to write to Jack, and I’m goin’ to tell ’em both
just what I think. I’m goin’ to write Jack that he’d better be lookin’
out, and I’m goin’ to write to Mr. Stebbins that next time he settles
things I want him to take a receipt for that arm in full."

The letters were duly written and Mr. Stebbins, upon the receipt of his,
redoubled his efforts, and did succeed in permanently settling with the
cook, the arm being eventually saved. Aunt Mary regarded the sum as much