"Oh, yes, he's well enough," condescended Mrs. Hattie Blaisdell, with
a yawn.

"Hattie, why wouldn't you take him in?" reproached her husband. "Just
think how the pay would help! And it wouldn't be a bit of work,
hardly, for you. Certainly it would be a lot easier than the way we
are doing."

The woman frowned impatiently.

"Jim, don't, please! Do you suppose I got over here on the West Side
to open a boarding-house? I guess not--yet!"

"But what shall we do?"

"Oh, we'll get along somehow. Don't worry!"

"Perhaps if you'd worry a little more, I wouldn't worry so much,"
sighed the man deeply.

"Well, mercy me, I must be going," interposed the little dressmaker,
springing to her feet with a nervous glance at her brother and his
wife. "I'm forgetting it ain't so near as it used to be. Good-night!"

"Good-night, good-night! Come again," called the three on the veranda.
Then the door closed behind them, as they entered the house.

Meanwhile, walking across the common, Benny was entertaining Mr.
Smith.