people who come to see me, so
that if you would just take the trouble to get you a tidy pattern of
gingham or calico, or whatever you like of that sort for a gown, you
would please me; and perhaps this little trifle will be a convenience to
you when you come to pay for it."

Kitty thanked him with all the national accompaniments, and trotted off
to the store, where Mr. Gifted Hopkins displayed the native amiability of
his temper by fumbling down everything in the shape of ginghams and
calicoes they had on the shelves, without a murmur at the taste of his
customer, who found it hard to get a pattern sufficiently emphatic for
her taste. She succeeded at last, and laid down a five-dollar bill as if
she were as used to the pleasing figure on its face as to the sight of
her own five digits.

Master Byles Gridley had struck a spade deeper than he knew into his
first countermine, for Kitty had none of those delicate scruples about
the means of obtaining information which might have embarrassed a
diplomatist of higher degree.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

MR. BRADSHAW CALLS ON MISS BADLAM

"Is Miss Hazard in, Kitty?"

"Indade she's in, Mr. Bridshaw, but she won't see nobody."

"What's the meaning of that, Kitty? Here is the third time within three
days you've told me I could n't see her. She saw Mr. Gridley yesterday,
I know; why won't she see me to-day?"

"Y' must ask Miss Myrtle what the rason is, it's none o' my business, Mr.
Bridshaw. That's the order she give me."

"Is Miss Badlam in?"

Indade she's in, Mr. Bridshaw, an' I 'll go cahl her."

"Bedad," said Kitty Fagan to herself, "the cat an' the fox is goin' to
have another o' thim big tahks togither, an' sure the old hole for the
stove-pipe has niver been stopped up yet."

Mr. Bradshaw and Miss Cynthia went into the parlor together, and Mistress
Kitty retired to her kitchen. There was a deep closet belonging to this
apartment, separated by a partition from the parlor. There was a round
hole high up in this partition through which a stove-pipe had once
passed. Mistress Kitty placed a stool just under this opening, upon
which, as on a, pedestal, she posed herself with great precaution in the
attitude of the goddess of other people's secrets, that is to say, with
her head a little on one side, so as to bring her liveliest ear close to
the opening. The conversation which took place in the hearing of the
invisible third party began in a singularly free-and-ea