THRESHING 55 



twelve of them had washed their hands in on- the 

 veranda just outside the front door. — And 

 alongside were their towels. — You know their 

 towels ! " 



" It does sound a little appalling," I allowed. 

 " Never mind. — I hope you gave them tea." 



" Oh, I gave them tea, and they only stayed 

 about half an hour, but it felt like eternity. 

 They said they wouldn't have come had they 

 known it was threshing, and that kind of thing, 

 and I've no doubt they understood. But there 

 was a man with them. And my blue overall, a 

 skirt shorter than a petticoat — and those awful 

 shoes ! " 



" You needn't worry about the overall," I con- 

 soled her. " I should never wear anything else if 

 I were you." 



" It's all very well for you to say nice things," she 

 said ungratefully. " You weren't there." 



" Who was the late arrival ? " I inquired. 



" Oh, Mrs. Dugald Bertie. She's charming ! " 



" Really ! How ? " 



" Beautiful eyes. And at this loose end of the 

 world bien soignee. She stayed quite a while after 

 the others had gone, and was quite nice. I could 

 almost have poured out to her about the shoes. 

 Her gloves were most fasky — the Indians made them. 

 She is coming again, and she wants me — that is, of 

 course, us — to go down." 



" If there are to be callers and so forth, I suppose 

 we shall have to buy chairs and that kind of thing, 

 shan't we ? " I suggested. 



" Oh, I don't know. There was no hint of 

 * Pleased to make your acquaintance ' in the quite 



