As for you," she added, turning to Imogene,
"I shan't waste any more words on a--on a thing like you. After my
brother's money, be you? Thought you'd get him and it, too, did you?
Well, you shan't! He'll come right along home with me and there he'll
stay. He's worked in this place as long as he's goin' to, Miss Inmate.
I'll take him out of YOUR clutches."
"Oh no, you won't! Him and me are goin' to the Fair tomorrow and on
Monday he's comin' back to work here same as ever. You are, ain't you,
Kenelm?"
Kenelm gulped and fidgeted. "I--I--I--" he stuttered.
"You see, Hannah," continued Imogene--"I suppose I might as well begin
to call you 'Hannah,' seein' as we're goin' to be relations pretty
soon--you see, he's engaged to me now and he'll do what I ask him to, of
course."
"Engaged! He ain't engaged! I'll fix the 'engagement.' That'll be broke
off this very minute."
And now Imogene played her best trump. She took from her waist a slip of
paper and handed it to Captain Obed.
"Just read that out loud, won't you, please, Cap'n Bangs?" she asked.
The captain stared at the slip of paper. Then, in a choked voice, he
read aloud the following:
I, Kenelm Issachar Parker, being in sound mind and knowing what I am
doing, ask Imogene to be my wife and I agree to marry her any time she
wants me to.
(Signed) KENELM ISSACHAR PARKER.
"There!" exclaimed Imogene. "I guess that settles it, don't it? I've got
witnesses, anyhow, and right here, to our engagement.
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