“It’s too bad, indeed,” returned Barbara, cheerfully. “But remember how we were helped when David was ill; and think how Mrs. Willowby gave up her own maid to us for so long, and of all that Susan did. I’m so happy over David that I don’t mind cooking nowadays. And you are a nice little assistant, Gassy.”
The nice little assistant glowed with pleasure. “Know why?” she inquired.
“Hair!” replied Gassy, laconically. “Hair and clothes. You were pretty good to me that dreadful day when the hair went, and you make me look so much nicer. I like you very much, Barbara,”—Gassy never used the word “love,”—“and I don’t think college has hurt you one bit, no matter what Miss Bates says. It’s just as Jack says,—your A. B. stands for A Brick, instead of A Bachelor.”
“Did he say that?” said Barbara, laughing at the unexpected conclusion, as she leaned over and patted the stiff little shoulder near her.
“You’re a dear little sister,” she said. “Who’s that?”
The door opened slowly; a puffing man, carrying a small trunk, entered, and dropped it heavily on the floor. It was the Vegetable Man.
The Vegetable Man smiled at her serenely. “She’s comin’,” he said, and disappeared, leaving Barbara and Gassy staring at each other in astonishment.
Suddenly the door reopened, and there appeared the Vegetable Man’s daughter, as untidy and breezy as ever.
“I’ve come back,” she said. “I heerd you was wantin’ help, so I come over. Guess I’ll _stay, this_ time. Shall I hang my hat here?”
“_Him? Why_, don’t you know?” returned the Vegetable Man’s daughter, serenely. “I didn’t like ’im after we was married. He drank. So I come home.”
The Vegetable Man’s daughter nodded. “Like a fish!” she added. “’Twan’t a day before he began. Stood it two months, I did, an’ then I lit out. Come home, an’ it wasn’t excitin’ enough for me, so when I heerd you was still without, I come over ag’in. Miss Barbara, if you don’t tell me what to git for dinner, there won’t be no time for gittin’.”
Barbara started. “You took me so by surprise, Libbie,” she said, “that I can scarcely think. I’m delighted to have you back, especially since mother is coming home to-day.”
“Want to know!” ejaculated the girl. “Landed right in the middle of excitement, didn’t I?”