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VI. All Sorts and Conditions of Men... and women
Butevenifhehadn’tgivenacentI’dalwaysfeelthatwehaddoneatrulyChristianactinhelpinghim.”
TheodoreWhite’swasthenextstoppingplace.NeitherAnnenorDianahadeverbeentherebefore,andtheyhadonlyaveryslightacquaintancewithMrs.Theodore,whowasnotgiventohospitality.Shouldtheygotothebackorfrontdoor?WhiletheyheldawhisperedconsultationMrs.Theodoreappearedatthefrontdoorwithanarmfulofnewspapers.Deliberatelyshelaidthemdownonebyoneontheporchfloorandtheporchsteps,andthendownthepathtotheveryfeetofhermystifiedcallers.
“Willyoupleasewipeyourfeetcarefullyonthegrassandthenwalkonthesepapers?”shesaidanxiously.“I’vejustsweptthehousealloverandIcan’thaveanymoredusttrackedin.Thepath’sbeenrealmuddysincetherainyesterday.”
“Don’tyoudarelaugh,”warnedAnneinawhisper,astheymarchedalongthenewspapers.“AndIimploreyou,Diana,nottolookatme,nomatterwhatshesays,orIshallnotbeabletokeepasoberface.”
Thepapersextendedacrossthehallandintoaprim,flecklessparlor.AnneandDianasatdowngingerlyonthenearestchairsandexplainedtheirerrand.Mrs.Whiteheardthempolitely,interruptingonlytwice,oncetochaseoutanadventurousfly,andoncetopickupatinywispofgrassthathadfallenonthecarpetfromAnne’sdress.Annefeltwretchedlyguilty;butMrs.Whitesubscribedtwodollarsandpaidthemoneydown...“topreventusfromhavingtogobackforit,”Dianasaidwhentheygotaway.Mrs.
