"
"Wasn't I just tellin' you that he didn't? He's been off on a trip to
Virginia; gets home to-night. I've got the whole house in the pa'm of
my hand, from cellar to attic. Miss Connie, she's the oldest, as
flighty as a pidgeon and head so full of boys she don't pay no
attention to another livin' thing. Then there's Miss Hattie, the
second one, jes' at that spiteful thirteen age, but so busy peckin' on
her sister, she ain't no time left for me--"
"Thought you said there was three children," put in Maria mildly.
"I did. You didn't think I lied, did you? Always ready to snatch up a
person's words before they git 'em out of their mouth! The third one
is a boy, Bertie they call him, sick and spin'ly, but a right nice
little fellow. Where'd Chick go?"
"He's settin' out there on the door-step. Did you hear 'bout our
shootin'?"
"Maria was tryin' to tell me, but she didn't seem to have nothin'
clear to tell. Who do you think done it?"
Phineas Flathers, balancing himself on the hind legs of his chair,
with his thumbs in the armholes of his vest, was nothing loath to
launch forth into a full recital of the affair, embellishing it with
many a flourish as he went along.
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