Miss Phipps sighed heavily.  “Maybe so, Jethro,” she said, “but what will some of us live on while we’re waitin’?  That hasn’t been revealed to you, has it?”

For the rest of that afternoon Galusha sat by his bedroom window, thinking.  His thoughts were along the line of those interrupted by Primmie’s summons.  When, at supper time, he again descended the stairs, his mind was made up.  He was going to make a suggestion, a suggestion which seemed to him somewhat delicate.  In one sense of the term it was a business proposition, in another—­well, he was not precisely certain that it might not be considered presuming and perhaps intrusive.  Galusha Cabot Bangs was not a presuming person and he was troubled.

After the supper dishes were washed and Primmie sent to bed—­“sent” is the exact word, for Miss Cash, having had a taste of Egypt and the Orient, was eagerly hoping for more—­Miss Phipps and Galusha were together in the sitting room.  Doctor Powers had paid a brief visit.  He found his patient so much improved that he announced him well enough to travel if he wished.

“If it is really necessary for you to go to-morrow, Mr. Bangs,” he said, “I think you’re strong enough to risk it.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” said Galusha.  Then he added, with his little smile, “I couldn’t go before to-morrow.  You see, I—­ah—­haven’t any hat.”

In the sitting room, after supper, Galusha was idly turning the pages of Camp, Battlefield and Hospital, a worn book of Civil War sketches, printed immediately after that war, which he had found upon the shelf of the closet in his room, along with another volume labeled Friendship’s Garland, a Nosegay of Verse.  Of the two, although a peace-loving individual, he preferred the camp and battlefield to the Nosegay; the latter’s fragrance was a trifle too sweet.

Suddenly Martha, who had been sitting quiet in the rocker, spoke.

“Mr. Bangs,” she said, “I saw Lulie Hallett when I was over at the light this afternoon.  We had a good talk together before Cap’n Jethro came back.  She told me about your bein’ so kind to her and Nelson over by the old church this mornin’.  She was real grateful to you and she says she shall thank you herself when she sees you.  She asked me to do it for her now.”

Galusha was confused.  “Oh, it was nothing, really,” he hastened to explain.  “I—­ah—­ Well, I intruded upon them somewhat suddenly.  I see she told you of that.”

Miss Phipps was smiling to herself.  She looked a little guilty.

“Well,” she admitted, “Lulie did say that you kind of—­er—­flew over the bank.  She said no one was ever quite so surprised as she was at that minute.”

Mr. Bangs thoughtfully shook his head.

“Except myself, perhaps,” he observed.

Martha’s smile became a laugh.  “Probably that’s so,” she admitted.  “But, Mr. Bangs, Lulie is awfully anxious that you shouldn’t think there was anything wrong about her meetin’ Nelson Howard in that way.  There isn’t.  She’s a splendid girl and he’s a fine young man.  I think the world of Lulie and I like Nelson, too.”