she's been tiddling in and out here, with it puckered up under
her arm, sixty times. I guess she belongs to some company of
female militie, for the body of it is all thick with braid and
buttons. I believe she ha'n't sot still five minutes since she
come into the house, till I don't know whether I am on my head
or my heels."

"But why didn't you give her something to eat?" said Fleda,
who was hastily throwing off her gloves, and smoothing her
disordered hair with her hands into something of composure.

"Did!" said Barby; "I give her some o' them cold biscuit and
butter and cheese, and a pitcher of milk — sot a good enough
meal for anybody; but she didn't take but a crumb, and she
turned up her nose at that. Come, go! you've slicked up
enough; you're handsome enough to show yourself to her any
time o' day, for all her jig-em bobs."

"Where is aunt Lucy?"

"She's up stairs; there's been nobody to see to her but me.
She's had the hull lower part of the house to herself, kitchen
and all, and she's done nothing but go out of one room into
another ever since she come. She'll be in here again directly,
if you aint spry."

Fleda went in, round to the west room, and there found herself
in the arms of the second Miss Evelyn, who jumped to meet her,
and half-stifled her with caresses.