Page:Further Chronicles of Avonlea (1920).djvu/99

Rh face was as broad and beaming as a harvest moon. Now his expression was very melancholy and his voice positively sepulchral.

“Good morning,” returned Miss Rosetta, crisply and cheerfully. She, at any rate, would not go into eclipse until she knew the reason therefor. “It is a fine day.”

“A very fine day,” assented Mr. Patterson, solemnly. “ I have just come from the Wheeler place, Miss Ellis, and I regret to say —”

“Charlotte is sick!’ cried Miss Rosetta, rapidly. “Charlotte has got another spell with her heart! I knew it! I’ve been expecting to hear it! Any woman that drives about the country as much as she does is liable to heart disease at any moment. I never go outside of my gate but I meet her gadding off somewhere. Goodness knows who looks after her place. I shouldn’t like to trust as much to a hired man as she does. Well, it is very kind of you, Mr. Patterson, to put yourself out to the extent of calling in to tell me that Charlotte is sick, but I don’t really see why you should take so much trouble — I really don’t. It doesn’t matter to me whether Charlotte is sick or whether she isn't. You know that perfectly well, Mr. Patterson, if anybody does. When Charlotte went and got married, on the sly, to that good-for-nothing Jacob Wheeler —”

“Mrs. Wheeler is quite well,” interrupted Mr.