"Well, child?" she said. "Maybe you might as well put the kettle on the fire; it takes a good long time to boil. It's a very bobbish little kettle, and it has cranky whims just as though it were a human. There's a good child, Susan; take it out and fill it at the tap, and put it on the fire to boil up while you are telling me the rest of the story. I always liked you very well, Susan; not so much as Tom, but you are quite to my liking, all things considered."
"No, you never liked me, Aunt Church," said Susy; "but I will fill the kettle if you have a fancy--although perhaps I won't be able to stay to have that cup of tea that you seem all of a sudden willing to give me."
Mrs. Church said nothing. Susy left the room with the kettle.
"I could fly out at her," thought the old lady; "but where's the good? She's hand and glove with that beautiful Miss O'Hara, and for the sake of the young lady I mustn't get her back up too much."
So Susy put the kettle on to boil, and then resumed her place opposite Mrs. Church.
"Susan," said the old lady, "while the kettle is boiling you might as well lay the cloth and get out the tea-things."
"No, no," said Susy; "I haven't come here to act servant to you, Aunt Church."
"You have a very nasty manner, Susan; and whatever the Almighty may mean to do with you in the future, you had best change your tune or things will go ill with you."
Susy sat quite still, apparently indifferent to these remarks.
"Well, if you won't lay the cloth, and won't help your own poor old aunt, you may as well tell me what you came for."
Susy was now thoroughly enjoying herself. Mrs. Church edged her chair a little nearer; her beady black eyes seemed to read Susy through and through.
"Go on, child; speak. 'Tain't right to keep an old body on tenter-hooks."
"I will tell you if you will promise me something. I have brought you a little bag that I made my own self, and you shall have it if you promise me something. It is a bag for your knitting. You know you said that you were always losing the ball; it would keep running under your chair, and you could never get it without stooping and hurting yourself."
"To be sure I did, child, and it is thoughtful of you to think of me. Well, but we'll talk of the bag when you have said whatever else you have got at the back of that wise little head of yours."