"
He went on putting a bulb in the place prepared for it. His eyebrows
twitched slightly, but his mouth was smileless; Miss Hopkins was
smiling, and not at all displeased. Mrs. Haile was bland and blank,
as befits a minister's wife. Alicia's eyes were downcast, but a
wicked dimple came and went in her cheek. She looked ravishingly
pretty, the bright hair breaking into curls about her temples, her
young face colored like a rose. I do not blame Doctor Richard
Geddes for stopping in his work to stare at her with unabashed
pleasure, but I do not think it was diplomatic.
Mrs. Haile apologized for calling when we were so very busy. They
had just stopped in passing, because they were reorganizing their
missionary society and wanted to see if they couldn't interest us in
the good work. Their day-school in Mozambique needed another
teacher, and their hospital in Bechuanaland had to have more beds.
Doctor Geddes got to his feet, slapped our garden soil from his
knees, and shook his tawny mane. His eyes were no longer sweet.
"Miss Smith and Miss Gaines, thank you for the opportunity of
playing in the sand in pleasant company. Mrs. Haile, Miss Hopkins, I
go to attend some home-grown niggers who of course don't need a
hospital, nor even a decent school, in our Christian midst.
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