“Humph!  I don’t know’s you’d be any better off.  I ain’t got nobody and I ain’t what you might call cheerful.  I know what’s the matter with you, though.  That Kenelm’s been frettin’ you again, I suppose.”

He had guessed it.  Kenelm that morning had suddenly announced that he was to have a day off.  He was cal’latin’ to borrow Mrs. Barnes’ horse and buggy and go for a ride.  His sister promptly declared that would be lovely; she was just wishing for a ride.  Whereupon Kenelm had hemmed and hawed and, at last, admitted that his company for the drive was already provided.

“Oh!” sneered Hannah.  “I see.  You’re goin’ to take that precious inmate of yours along.  And I’ve got to set here alone at home.  Well, I should think you’d be ashamed.”

“What for?  Ain’t nothin’ in takin’ a lady you’re keepin’ company with out drivin’, is there?  I don’t see no shame in that.”

“No, I presume likely you don’t.  You’re way past shame, both of you.  And when I think of all I’ve done for you.  Slaved and cooked your meals—­”

“Well, you’re cookin’ ’em yet, ain’t you?  I ain’t asked you to stop.”

“I will stop, though.  I will.”

“All right, then; heave ahead and stop.  I cal’late my wife’ll be willin’ to cook for me, if it’s needful.”

“Your wife!  She ain’t your wife yet.  And she shan’t be.  This ridiculous engaged business of yours is—­is—­”

“Well, if you don’t like the engagin’, why don’t you stop it?”

“Why don’t you stop it, you mean.  You would if you had the feelin’s of a man.”

“Humph!  And let some everlastin’ lawyer sue me out of my last cent for damages.  All right, I’ll stop it if you say so.  There’s plenty of room in the poorhouse, they tell me.  How’d you like to give us this place and move to the poorhouse, Hannah?”

“But—­but, O Kenelm, I can’t think of your gettin’ married!  I can’t think of it!”

“Don’t think of it.  I ain’t thinkin’ of it no more’n I can help.  Why ain’t you satisfied with things as they be?  Everything’s goin’ on all right enough now, ain’t it?  You and me are livin’ together same as we have for ever so long.  You’re here and I—­well, I—­”

He did not finish the sentence, but his sister read his thought.  She knew perfectly well that her brother was finding a measure of enjoyment in the situation, so far as his dealings with her were concerned.  He was more independent than he had been since she took him in charge.  But she realized, too, her own impotence.  She could not drive him too hard or he might be driven into marrying Imogene.  And that Hannah was determined should be deferred as long as possible.

So she said no more concerning the “ride” and merely showed her feelings by moping in the corner and wiping her eyes with her handkerchief whenever he looked in her direction.  After he had gone she spent the half-hour previous to Mr. Hammond’s arrival in alternate fits of rage and despair.