Her face bloomed deeply pink in the green tunnel of her sun-bonnet, her black eyes were as soft and wary as a baby's, her full red lips had a grave, innocent expression.
"How many dozen eggs have you got, Rebecca ?" Rose inquired, peering into the basket.
"Two; mother couldn't spare any more to-day," Rebecca replied, in a trembling voice.
"How much sugar do you give for two dozen eggs, William ?" asked Rose.
William hesitated; he gave a scarcely perceptible glance towards the watchful old man, whose eyes seemed to gleam out of the gloom in the back of the store.

"Well, about two pounds and a half," he replied, in a low voice.
Rebecca set her basket of eggs on the counter.
"How many pound did you tell her, William ?" called the old man's hoarse voice.
William compressed his lips.

"About two and a half, father." "How many ?" "Two and a half." "How many dozen of eggs ?" "Two." "You ain't offerin' of her two pound of sugar for two dozen eggs ?" "I said two pounds and a half of sugar, father," said William.

He began counting the eggs.
"Be you gone crazy ?" "Never mind," whispered Rebecca.

"That's too much sugar for the eggs.
Mother didn't expect so much.