CHAPTER XIIIThe relentless footsteps came straight on to the kitchen, stalked about a bit; the sound of the back door key turning in its lock, and then Harriet Granniss came up stairs and knocked at Emily’s door.
“I thought I heard some one in the kitchen as I came in,” she said, accusingly. “That lazy woman hasn’t been here all this time, has she? She had only a half dozen pieces to iron when I left. I went and counted them. What did you pay her? Any more than the usual amount?”
“Oh, no,” said Emily, breathing freely. “Just the usual amount.”
Harriet eyed her keenly.
“Well, if she’s been here all this time she must have been ironing some of her own clothes, and using our gas and our time. They do that, you know. You’ve got to watch everything! I heard of a good colored woman we could
