The bread was from the Carmody bakery and I made good tea and
excellent toast; besides, I found a can of peaches in the pantry which,
as they were bought, I wasn't afraid to eat.
That tea and toast mellowed Alexander Abraham in spite of himself.
He ate the last crust, and didn't growl when I gave William Adolphus
all the cream that was left. Mr. Riley did not seem to want anything.
He had no appetite.
By this time the doctor's boy had arrived with my valise.
Alexander Abraham gave me quite civilly to understand that there was
a spare room across the hall and that I might take possession of it.
I went to it and put on a wrapper. There was a set of fine
furniture in the room, and a comfortable bed. But the dust!
William Adolphus had followed me in and his paws left marks
everywhere he walked.
"Now," I said briskly, returning to the kitchen,
"I'm going to clean up and I shall begin with this kitchen.
You'd better betake yourself to the sitting-room, Mr. Bennett,
so as to be out of the way."
Alexander Abraham glared at me.
"I'm not going to have my house meddled with," he snapped.
"It suits me. If you don't like it you can leave it."
"No, I can't. That is just the trouble," I said pleasantly.
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