And the butcher said, 'Living pretty high, while the missus is away.'" Mrs.De Peyster had dropped her dessert spoon, and was staring at her confederate.

"I never thought about food!" she exclaimed in dismay.
"Nor did I, ma'am, till the butcher spoke.

And, besides, William received the goods, and--and he smiled at me and said--" "It does look suspicious!" interrupted Mrs.De Peyster.
"I think it does, ma'am." "If you keep on having so much food sent in--" "And such high quality, ma'am." "Some one may suspect--become curious--and might find out--might find out--" "That's what I was thinking of, ma'am." Mrs.De Peyster had risen.
"Matilda, we cannot run that risk!" "Perhaps--perhaps, ma'am, we'd better change our butcher and grocer." "That would do no good, for the new ones would find out that there was supposed to be only a single person here, No, such ordering has got to be stopped!" "If you can stand it, I think it would be safer, ma'am.

But what will you eat ?" There was a brief silence.

Mrs.De Peyster's air grew almost tragic.
"Matilda, do you realize that you and I have got to live for the summer, for the entire summer, upon the amount you have been accustomed to ordering for yourself!" "It looks that way, ma'am." The epicure in Mrs.De Peyster spoke out in a voice of even deeper poignancy.
"Two persons--do you realize that, Matilda!--two adult persons will have to live for three months upon the rations of one person!" "And what's worse," added Matilda, "as I told you, I don't eat much.
I've usually had just a little tea and now and then a chop." "A little tea and a chop!" Mrs.De Peyster looked as though she were going to faint.