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Openings in the Old Trail by Bret Harte
page 74 of 220 (33%)

Mr. Langworthy's serious half-perfunctory manner here took on an
appearance of interest. "Yes--I've bin thinkin' that way. Thar's a young
woman helpin' in the kitchen ez might do, though I'm not certain, and
I ain't lettin' on anything as yet. You might take a look at her,
Rosalie,--I orter say Mrs. Byers ez is,--and kinder size her up, and
gimme the result. It's still wantin' seven minutes o' schedule time
afore the stage goes, and--if you ain't wantin' more food"--delicately,
as became a landlord--"and ain't got anythin' else to do, it might pass
the time."

Strange as it may seem, Mrs. Byers here displayed an equal animation in
her fresh face as she rose promptly to her feet and began to rearrange
her dust cloak around her buxom figure. "I don't mind, Abner," she
said, "and I don't think that Mr. Byers would mind either;" then seeing
Langworthy hesitating at the latter unexpected suggestion, she added
confidently, "and I wouldn't mind even if he did, for I'm sure if I
don't know the kind o' woman you'd be likely to need, I don't know who
would. Only last week I was sayin' like that to Mr. Byers"--

"To Mr. Byers?" said Abner, with some surprise.

"Yes--to him. I said, 'We've been married three years, Constantine, and
ef I don't know by this time what kind o' woman you need now--and might
need in future--why, thar ain't much use in matrimony.'"

"You was always wise, Rosalie," said Abner, with reminiscent
appreciation.

"I was always there, Abner," returned Mrs. Byers, with a complacent show
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