efore. It had been a hard day.

But I got up bright and early the next morning and got a tiptop
breakfast, which Alexander Abraham condescended to eat. When the
provision man came into the yard I called to him from the window
to bring me a box of soap in the afternoon, and then I tackled the
sitting-room.

It took me the best part of a week to get that house in order, but I did
it thoroughly. I am noted for doing things thoroughly. At the end of
the time it was clean from garret to cellar. Alexander Abraham made no
comments on my operations, though he groaned loud and often, and said
caustic things to poor Mr. Riley, who hadn't the spirit to answer back
after his drubbing by William Adolphus. I made allowances for Alexander
Abraham because his vaccination had taken and his arm was real sore;
and I cooked elegant meals, not having much else to do, once I had got
things scoured up. The house was full of provisions--Alexander Abraham
wasn't mean about such things, I will say that for him. Altogether, I
was more comfortable than I had expected to be. When Alexander Abraham
wouldn't talk I let him alone; and when he would I just said as
sarcastic things as he did, only I said them smiling and pleasant. I
could see he had a wholesome awe for me. But now and then he seemed to
forget his disposition and talked like a human being. We had one or two
real interesting conversations. Alexander Abraham was an intelligent
man, though he had got terribly warped. I told him once I thought he
must have been nice when he was a boy.

One day he astonished me by appearing at the dinner table with his hair
brushed and a white collar on. We had a tiptop dinner that day, and
I had made a pudding that was far too good for a woman hater. When
Alexander Abraham had disposed of two large platefuls of it, he sighed
and said,

"You can certainly cook. It's a pity you are such a detestable crank in
other respects."

"It's kind of convenient being a crank," I said. "People are careful
how they meddle with you. Haven't you found that out in your own
experience?"

"I am NOT a crank," growled Alexander Abraham resentfully. "All I ask is
to be let alone."

"That's the very crankiest kind of crank," I said. "A person who wants
to be let alone flies in the face of Providence, who decreed that folks
for their own good were not to be let alone. But cheer up, Mr. Bennett.
The quarantine will be up on Tuesday and then you'll certainly be let
alone for