"Why--why, Imogene," he protested, "how you talk! I never thought--"

"Kenelm, be still."

"But, Imogene," begged Thankful, "you mustn't say such things. I never--"

"Now, ma'am, please don't you b.u.t.t in. I know what I'm doin'. Please don't talk to me now. There, Kenelm," turning to the trembling nominee for matrimonial offices, "that'll do for tonight. You go along with your sister and be on hand ready to take me to the Cattle Show tomorrow. Good night--er--dear."

Whether it was the "dear" that goaded Miss Parker into one more a.s.sault, or whether she was not yet ready to surrender, is uncertain. But, at all events, she fired a last broadside.

"He SHAN'T go with you tomorrow," she shrieked. "He shan't; I won't let him."

Imogene nodded. "All right," she said, firmly. "Then if he don't I'll come around tomorrow and tell him I'm ready to be married right away.

And if he says no to THAT--then--well then, I'll go straight to the lawyer with that paper."

Ten minutes later, when the Parkers had gone and the sound of Hannah's tirade and Kenelm's protestations had died away on the path toward their home, Thankful, John and Captain Obed sat gazing at each other in the living room. Imogene and Emily were together in the kitchen. The "engaged" young lady had expressed a desire to speak with Miss Howes alone.

John and the captain were still chuckling, but Thankful refused to see the joke; she was almost in tears.

"It's dreadful!" she declared. "Perfectly awful! And Imogene! To act and speak so to our next-door neighbor! What WILL come of it? And how COULD she? How could she get engaged to THAT man, of all men? He's old enough to be her father and--and she CAN'T care for him."

Emily entered the room. She was apparently much agitated and her eyes were moist. She collapsed in a rocking-chair and put her handkerchief to her face.

"Land sakes!" cried Captain Obed. "Is it as bad as that? Does it make you cry?"

Emily removed the handkerchief. "I'm not crying," she gasped. "I--I--Oh dear! This is the funniest thing that girl has done yet."

"But what is it?" asked John. "What's the answer? We're dying to know."

Emily shook her head. "I can't tell you," she said. "I promised I wouldn't. It--it all came of a talk Imogene and I had a while ago. We were speaking of self-sacrifice and she--she adores you, Auntie, and--"

Thankful interrupted. "Mercy on us!" she cried. "Adores me!

Self-sacrifice! She ain't doin' this crazy, loony thing for ME, I hope.

She ain't marryin' that Parker man because--"

"She hasn't married anyone yet. Oh, it is all right, Auntie; she knows what she is doing, or she thinks she does. And, at any rate, I think there is no danger of Mr. Parker's giving up his situation here until you are ready to have him do it. There! I mustn't say another word. I have said too much already."

Captain Obed rose to his feet.

"Well," he said, "it's too thick off the bows for me to see more'n a foot; I give in to that. But I will say this: If that Imogene girl don't know what she's up to it's the fust time since I've been acquainted with her. And she sartin has spiked Hannah's guns. Either Hannah's got to say 'dum' when Imogene says 'dee' or she stands a chance to lose her brother or his money, one or t'other, and she'd rather lose the fust than the last, I'll bet you. Ho, ho! Yes, it does look as if Imogene had Hannah in a clove hitch. . . . Well, I'm goin' over to see what the next doin's in the circus is liable to be. I wouldn't miss any of THIS show for no money. Good night."

CHAPTER X

The next morning Kenelm, arrayed in his best, was early on hand to escort the lady of his choice to the Fair. The lady, herself, was ready and the pair drove away in Winnie S.'s depot-wagon bound for Wellmouth Centre and the train. Before she left the house Imogene made an earnest request.

"If you don't mind, ma'am," she said, addressing Mrs. Barnes, "I wish you wouldn't say nothin' to n.o.body about Mr. Kenelm and me bein'

engaged. And just ask the rest of 'em that heard the--the rough-house last night not to say anything, either, please."

"Why, Imogene," said Thankful, "I didn't know you wanted it to be a secret. Seems to me you said yourself that it wasn't any secret."

"Yes'm, I know I did. Well, I suppose 'tain't, in one way. But there ain't any use in advertisin' it, neither. Kenelm, he's promised to keep still."

"But, Imogene, why? Seems to me if I was willin' to be engaged to that--to Kenelm, I wouldn't be ashamed to have folks know it."

"Oh, I ain't ashamed exactly. I ain't ashamed of what I done, not a bit.

Only what's the use of tellin'?"

"But you'll have to tell some time; when you're married, sartin."

"Yes'm. Well, we ain't married--yet."

"But you're goin' to be, I should presume likely."

"Maybe so; but not for a good while, anyhow. If I am it won't make any difference far's you and me are concerned, ma'am. Nor Mr. Parker, either; he'll stay here and work long's you want him, married or not.

And so'll I."

"Well, I suppose that's one comfort, anyhow. I won't say anything about your engagement and I'll ask the others not to. But folks are bound to talk, Imogene. Miss Parker now--how are you goin' to stop her tellin'?"

Imogene nodded knowingly. "I shan't have to, I'll bet you, ma'am,"

she said. "She ain't so anxious to have it talked about--not s'long as there's a chance to break it off, she ain't. She'll keep still."

"Maybe so, but folks'll suspect, I guess. They'll think somethin's queer when you and Kenelm go to the Cattle Show together today."

"No, they won't. Why should they? Didn't Hannah Parker herself go yesterday with Mr. Hammond? And didn't Mr. Kendrick go with Miss Emily?

Yes, and you with Cap'n Bangs? Lordy, ma'am, I--"

"Don't say 'Lordy,' Imogene," cautioned Thankful, and hastened away.

Imogene looked after her and laughed to herself.

When Captain Obed made his morning call Mrs. Barnes told him of this conversation.

"And how is Hannah this mornin'?" asked Thankful. "I was surprised enough to see Kenelm in that depot-wagon. I never thought for a minute she'd let him go."

The captain chuckled. "Let him!" he repeated. "Why, Hannah helped him get ready; picked out his necktie for him and loaded him up with clean handkerchiefs and land knows what. She all but give him her blessin'

afore he started; she did say she hoped he'd have a good time."

"She did! Mercy on us! Is the world comin' to an end? Last night she was--"

"Yes, I know. Well, we've got to give Hannah credit; she's got a head on her shoulders, even if the head does run pretty strong to mouth.

Imogene's took her measure, judgin' by what you said the girl said to you. Hannah's thought it over, I cal'late, and she figgers that while there's life there's hope, as you might say. Her brother may be engaged, but he ain't married, and, s'long's he ain't, she's got a chance. You just see, Mrs. Thankful--you see if Hannah ain't sweeter to Kenelm from this on than a mola.s.ses jug stopper to a young one. She'll lay herself out to make his home the softest spot in creation, so he'll think twice before leavin' it. That's her game, as I see it, and she'll play it.

Give Hannah credit; she won't abandon the ship while there's a plank above water. Just watch and see."

Thankful looked doubtful. "Well, maybe so," she said. "Maybe she will be nice to her brother, but how about the rest of us? She wouldn't speak to me last night, nor to Emily--and as for Imogene!"

"Yes, I know. But wait until she sees you, or Imogene either, next time.