She turned to Mrs. Daggett.

"Can't you stay awhile longer? I--I should like--"

"Oh, I guess Abby'd better come right along with me," put in Lois
briskly ... "and that reminds me, do you want to pay something down
on that order? As a general thing, where I take a big order--"

"Of course--I'd forgotten; I always prefer to pay in advance."

The girl opened the tall desk and producing a roll of bills told off
the price of her order into Miss Daggett's hand.

"I should think you'd be almost afraid to keep so much ready money by
you, with all those men workin' outside," she commented.

"They're all Brookville men," said Lydia. "I have to have money to
pay them with. Besides, I have Martha."

"You mean your hired girl, I suppose," inferred Miss Daggett, rubbing
her nose thoughtfully.

"She isn't exactly--a servant," hesitated Lydia. "We give the men
their noon meal," she added. "Martha helps me with that."

"You give them their dinner! Well, I never! Did you hear that, Abby?
She gives them their dinner. Didn't you know men-folks generally
bring their noonings in a pail? Land! I don't know how you get hearty
victuals enough for all those men. Where do they eat?"