You see, she wanted him to come here to
work so's she could have him under her thumb and run over and give him
orders every few minutes. Imogene gives him orders, too, and he minds;
she makes him. Hannah don't like that; 'cordin' to her notion Kenelm
hadn't ought to have any skipper but her. It's all right, though, Mrs.
Barnes. It's good for Kenelm and it's good for Hannah. Do 'em both good,
I cal'late."
But when Kenelm announced that he wasn't sure but that he should "heave
up his job" in a fortnight or so, the situation became more serious.
"He mustn't leave," declared Thankful. "August and early September
are the times when I've got to have a man on the place, and you say
yourself, Captain Bangs, that there isn't another man to be had just
now. If he goes--"
"Oh, he won't go. This is more of Hannah's talk; she's put him up to
this leavin' business. Offer him another dollar a week, if you have to,
and I'll do some preachin' to Hannah, myself."
When Thankful mentioned the matter to Imogene the latter's comment was
puzzling but emphatic.
"Don't you fret, ma'am," she said. "He ain't left yet."
"I know; but he says--"
"HE don't say it. It's that sister of his does all the sayin'. And SHE
ain't workin' for you that I know of."
"Now, Imogene, we mustn't, any of us, interfere between Kenelm and his
sister. She IS his sister, you know."
"Yes'm. But she isn't his mother and his grandmother and his aunt and
all his relations. And, if she was, 'twouldn't make no difference.
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