"So that's all you've got out of your visit?"
"Yes, that is all," said Faith. "But it's a great deal!" And she laughed again--such a merry little waterfall of a laugh.
When she reached home, Mrs. Gartney met her at the door.
"Well, Faithie," she cried, somewhat eagerly, "what have you found?"
"I don't know, mother! A--hippopotamus, I think!"
"Why she's as big! I can't tell you how big! And she sat in a rocking-chair and rocked all the time--and she says her name is Miss Battis!"
Mrs. Gartney looked rather perplexed than amused.
"But, Faith!--I can't think how she knew--she must have been, listening--Norah has been so horribly angry! And she's upstairs packing her things to go right off. How _can_ we be left without a cook?"
"It seems Miss McGonegal means to demonstrate that we can! Perhaps--the hippopotamus _might_ be trained to domestic service! She said you could send if you wanted her."
"I don't see anything else to do. Norah won't even stay till morning. And there isn't a bit of bread in the house. I can't send this afternoon, though, for your father has driven over to Sedgely about some celery and tomato plants, and won't be home till tea time."
"I'll make some cream biscuits like Aunt Faith's. And I'll go out into the garden and find Luther. If he can't carry us through the Reformation, somehow, he doesn't deserve his name."
Luther was found--thought Jerry Blanchard wouldn't "value lettin' him have his old horse and shay for an hour." And he wouldn't "be mor'n that goin'." He could "fetch her, easy enough, if that was all."
She entered Mrs. Gartney's presence with nonchalance, and "flumped" incontinently into the easiest and nearest chair.
Mrs. Gartney began with the common preliminary--the name. Mis' Battis introduced herself as before.
"But your first name?" proceeded the lady.
"My first name was Parthenia Franker. I'm a relic'."
Mrs. Gartney experienced an internal convulsion, but retained her outward composure.
"I suppose you would quite as lief be called Parthenia?"
"Ruther," replied the relict, laconically.
And Mrs. Parthenia Battis was forthwith installed--_pro tem_.--in the Cross Corners kitchen.
"She's got considerable gumption," was the opinion Luther volunteered, of his own previous knowledge--for Mrs. Battis was an old schoolmate and neighbor--"but she's powerful slow."