“Hello!” she said.  “When did you come?  This is the first time you’ve ever been in our house, Mrs. Marshall, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” replied Elviry, “and,” with a glance at Lizzie, “I wouldn’t be here now if Mr. Marshall hadn’t made me.”

“Oh, Mamma,” protested Margery, “I wanted to come.”

“You hush up, Margery!  What I came for is that Mr. Marshall would like to have the three of you come to our house for Thanksgiving dinner.”

Lydia suddenly giggled.  “Don’t worry, Mrs. Marshall, we can’t come.  We’re going to have company ourselves for Thanksgiving.”

Elviry gave a huge sigh of relief.  “Well, that’s too bad,” she said.  “We’re going to have a grand dinner, too.”

“So are we,” retorted Lydia.

“How’s Florence Dombey?” asked Margery.  “Mamma, can’t I stay and play with Lydia a while?”

“We’ll stay a few minutes,” said Elviry, loosing her furs and settling back in her chair.  “It’s a real small place, Lizzie, but you can do so little work now, I s’pose it’s just as well.”

Lydia had produced a pasteboard shoe box of paper dolls which she gave to Margery.  She cuddled Florence Dombey in her arms and gave one ear to Margery’s question as to the names and personalities of the paper dolls, the other to Elviry’s comments.

“It ain’t so small,” sniffed Lizzie.  “It’s bigger’n anything you ever lived in, Elviry, till Dave sold enough lumber he stole from the Government to start a bank.”

Elviry was not to be drawn into a quarrel.  “You always was a jealous body, Lizzie.  That old mahogany belonged to both Amos and his wife’s folks, I’ve heard.  Why don’t you get rid of it and buy more of this here new Mission stuff that’s coming in?  Though I suppose you’d better wait till Lydia’s old enough to take more interest in keeping the house clean.  Butter’s awful high this winter.  How much does your grocery bill average, Lizzie?”

“None of your business,” replied Lizzie.

“I don’t think Imogen is as good looking as Marion.  I’d rather have Marion marry Prince Rupert, then these can be their children,” Margery murmured on.

“Land, Lizzie, don’t be so cross,” said Elviry.  “I suppose you’ve heard the talk about John Levine?  He’s getting in with that half breed crowd up on the reservation that the Indian agent’s such friends with.  They say Levine’s land hungry enough to marry a squaw.  He’s so dark, I wouldn’t be surprised if he had Indian blood himself.  Land knows nothing would surprise me about him.  They say he’s just naturally crooked.”

Lydia and Florence Dombey suddenly stood in front of Elviry.

“Don’t you say such things about Mr. Levine,” said Lydia slowly, cheeks bright, eyes as blue as Florence Dombey’s.

“Well!” exclaimed Elviry, beginning to pull her furs up, “I don’t seem to be able to please you two with my conversation, so I’ll be going.  Margery, get up off that dirty floor.  I never cared much about Amos’ wife, she was too proud, but at least she was clean.  She’d turn over in her grave if she knew what this house looked like.  Come, Margery, the horse will be cold, standing so long.”