artha?"

Mrs. Slawson closed the door behind her gently, then stood planted like
some massive caryatid supporting the frame. Something monumental in the
effect of her presence made the question just flung at her seem petty,
impudent, and Mrs. Sherman hastened to add more considerately, "But I
sent Radcliffe with my message. No doubt he delayed."

"No'm," admitted Martha, "he told me all right enough, but I was in the
middle o' polishin'. It took me a minute or two to get my things
collected, an' then it took me a couple more to get _me_ collected,
but--better late than never, as the sayin' goes, which, by the same
token, I don't believe it's always true."

There was not the faintest trace of apology or extenuation in her tone
or manner. If she had any misgivings as to the possibility of
Radcliffe's having complained, she gave no evidence of it.

"What I want to say is this," announced Mrs. Sherman autocratically,
making straight for the point. "I absolutely forbid any one in my
household to touch--"

Martha settled herself more firmly on her feet and crossed her arms with
unconscious dignity upon her bosom, bracing herself against the coming
blow.

"I absolutely forbid any one in my household to touch the new marble
slabs and nickel fittings in my dressing-rooms with cleaning stuffs
containing acids, after this. I have gone to great expense to have the
house remodeled this summer, and the bathrooms have all been tiled and
fitted up afresh, from beginning to end. I know that, in the past, you
have used acid, gritty soaps on the basins and tubs, Martha, and my
plumber tells me you mustn't do it. He says it's ruinous. He recommends
kerosene oil for the bath-tubs and marble slabs. He says it will take
any stain out, and is much safer than the soaps. So please use kerosene
to remove the stains--"

Mrs. Slawson relaxed. Without the slightest hint of incivility she
interrupted cheerfully, "An' does your plumber mention what'll remove
the stink--I _should_ say, _odor_, of the karrysene?"

Mrs. Sherman laughed. "Dear me, no. I'm afraid that's _up to_ you, as
Radcliffe says."

"O, I ain't no doubt it can be done, an' even if it can't, the smell o'
karrysene is healthy, an' you wouldn't mind a faint whifft of it now an'
then, clingin' to you, comin' outer your bath, would you? Or if you did,
you might set over against the oil-smell one o' them strong bath-powders
that's like the perfumery-counter in a department-store b