Ii6 THE GARDEN OF A 



mother reminded you that we ate them the day 

 before in a pie ! " 



" Mr. Evan, a sober woman doesn't so mistake 

 herself twict. That was when I was but fresh 

 widowed and my prospects gone, and I well re- 

 member how it turned me about. It was twenty 

 years " 



" Yes, but now and the meat, that is the ques- 

 tion. Cook us some eggs, and we'll track the steak 

 later." 



" Mr. Evan, sir, I can't deal with eggs until I'm 

 cleared of that steak." Then, lowering her voice, 

 " I do think that terrier, Pat, is the likeliest to have 

 ate it, though Delia says it was those hinnercent 

 'ounds." Mrs. Corkle spoke with unusual correct- 

 ness for one of her class, only lapsing when under 

 great excitement. 



"Mrs. Evan, ma'am, in my 'umble opinion, 

 Pat is the only one of the dogs tricky enough to 

 make way with meat and dish besides, " she added, 

 as a convincing argument. 



"The dish!" I cried. "No dog would take the 

 dish." 



" Yes, Mrs. Evan, the dish is gone, a plate of one 

 of the old kitchen set, of whom there's but few left, 

 with a blue picture drawn out on it" 



