"Miss Kavanagh," continued Abner Herrick, "will be staying with us
for--" He appeared to be uncertain of the length of Miss Kavanagh's
visit. He left the sentence unfinished and took refuge in more
pressing questions.
"What about the bedroom on the second floor? Is it ready? Sheets
aired--all that sort of thing?"
"It can be," replied Mrs. Travers. The tone was suggestive of
judgment reserved.
"I think, if you don't mind, Mrs. Travers, that we'd like to go to
bed as soon as possible." From force of habit Abner S. Herrick in
speaking employed as a rule the editorial "we." "We have been
travelling all day and we are very tired. To-morrow morning--"
"I'd like some supper," said Miss Kavanagh from her seat in the
window, without moving.
"Of course," agreed Miss Kavanagh's host, with a feeble pretence
that the subject had been on the tip of his tongue. As a matter of
fact, he really had forgotten all about it. "We might have it up
here while the room is being got ready. Perhaps a little--"
"A soft boiled egg and a glass of milk, if you please, Mrs.
Travers," interrupted Miss Kavanagh, still from her seat at the
window.
"I'll see about it," said Mrs. Travers, and went out, taking the
quite small box with her.
Such was the coming into this story of Ann Kavanagh at the age of
eight years; or, as Miss Kavanagh herself would have explained, had
the question been put to her, eight years and seven months, for Ann
Kavanagh was a precise young lady.
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