They looked toward the door, and saw standing there the young man
who sold tickets at the entrance of the pig-headed individual's show.
His hands were in his pockets, but he appeared ready to intone forth:
"Walk right in, ladies and gentlemen, and hear Fairy Carrie, the
child vocalist!" And the smoky torch was not needed to reveal his
satisfaction in standing just where he did.
CHAPTER XVIII.
"COME TO MAMMA!"
Though the dissipated looking young man only stood at the door a
moment, and then walked out on the log steps at a sauntering pace, he
left dismay behind him. Aunt Corinne flew to her mother, imploring
that Carrie be hid. Robert Day stood up before the child, frowning
and shaking his head.
"All the pig-headed folks will be after her," exclaimed aunt
Corinne. "They'll come right into this room so soon as that fellow
tells them. Le's run out the back way, Ma Padgett!"
Grandma Padgett, who had been giving the full strength of her
spectacles to the failing light and her knitting, beheld this
excitement with disapproval.
"You'll have my needles out," she objected. "What pig-headed folks
are after what? Robert, have you hurt Sissy?"
"Why, Grandma Padgett, didn't you see the doorkeeper looking into
the room?"
"Some person just looked in--person they appear to object to," said
the strange man, giving keen attention to what was going forward.
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