I'll thank
you--"
Mr. Linton came in at the moment, and the point on which Jim intended
to express his gratitude remained unuttered. Cecil had reddened
wrathfully, and the general atmosphere was electric. Mr. Linton took,
apparently, no notice. He pulled Norah's hair gently as he passed her.
"You're all remarkably spruce," he commented. "Can any one tell me why
almost every maid I have met in my house this day turns and flees as
though I were the plague? Sarah is the only one who doesn't shun me,
and her mind appears to be taken up with affairs of State, for I asked
her twice if she had seen my tobacco pouch, and she brought me in
response a jug of shaving water, for which I have had no use for some
time!" He laughed, stroking his iron-grey beard. "Can you explain the
mystery, Norah?"
"It's easy," said his daughter. "Sarah's hair has a natural friz, so
she's the only girl in the house without curling pins concealed--more or
less--in her front hair. Brownie gave permission for the pins to-day; I
guess she thinks it would give Sarah an unfair start if she didn't!"
"But the shaving water?"
"Ah, well, I expect Fred Anderson wanted that. She's engaged to him,
you know," said Norah, simply.
"Well, I hardly see why she should give me his shaving water, either
from Anderson's point of view or mine; but I suppose it's all right,"
said Mr.
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