"Spoons are a great temptation to me, Miss Van Gorder--but if
you'll take me, I'll promise to leave them alone."
"That's extremely kind of you," she answered with grim humor,
knowing herself beaten. She went over to ring for Billy.
Lizzie took the opportunity to gain her ear.
"I don't trust him, Miss Neily! He's too smooth!" she whispered
warningly.
Miss Cornelia stiffened. "I haven't asked for your opinion,
Lizzie," she said.
But Lizzie was not to be put off by the Van Gorder manner.
"Oh," she whispered, "you're just as bad as all the rest of 'em.
A good-looking man comes in the door and your brains fly out the
window!"
Miss Cornelia quelled her with a gesture and turned back to the
young man. He was standing just where she had left him, his cap
in his hands--but, while her back had been turned, his eyes had
made a stealthy survey of the living-room--a survey that would
have made it plain to Miss Cornelia, if she had seen him, that his
interest in the Fleming establishment was not merely the casual
interest of a servant in his new place of abode. But she had not
seen and she could have told nothing from his present expression.
"Have you had anything to eat lately?" she asked in a kindly voice.
He looked down at his cap. "Not since this morning," he admitted
as Billy answered the bell.
Miss Cornelia turned to the impassive Japanese. "Billy, give this
man something to eat and then show him where he is to sleep.
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