E-text prepared by Al Haines OTHER PEOPLE'S BUSINESS The Romantic Career of the Practical Miss Dale by HARRIET LUMMIS SMITH Indianapolis The Bobbs-Merrill Company Publishers Copyright 1916 The Bobbs-Merrill Company CONTENTS CHAPTER I INTRODUCING PERSIS II THE LOVER III A FITTING IV THE WOMAN'S CLUB V DIANTHA GROWS UP VI THE NEW ARRIVAL VII A CONFIDENTIAL CHAT VIII EVE AND THE APPLE IX A DAY TO HERSELF X SHOULD AULD ACQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT XI TWIXT THE CUP AND THE LIP XII A CONFESSION TOO MANY XIII THE MAIL BAG XIV AN ACQUISITION XV A WOMAN AT LAST XVI WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD XVII ENID XVIII A STALLED ENGINE XIX A DEFERRED INTERMENT XX CHECKMATE XXI DE PROFUNDIS XXII EAVESDROPPING XXIII WEDDING BELLS XXIV FAIR PLAY OTHER PEOPLE'S BUSINESS CHAPTER I INTRODUCING PERSIS The knocking at the side door and the thumping overhead blended in a travesty on the anvil chorus, the staccato tapping of somebody's knuckles rising flute-like above the hammering of Joel's cane. TO some temperaments the double summons would have proved confusing, but Persis Dale dropped her sewing and moved briskly to the door, addressing the ceiling as she went. "'Twon't hurt you to wait." The stout woman on the steps entered heavily and fell into a chair that creaked an inarticulate protest. Persis' quick ear caught the signal of distress. "Mis' West, you'd be more comf'table in the armchair. I fight shy of it because it's too comf'table. If I set back into the hollow, it's because my work's done for the day. And here's a palm-leaf. You look as hot as mustard-plaster." Having thus tactfully interfered for the preservation of her property, Persis cast a swiftly appraising glance at the chair her caller had vacated. "Front rung sprung just as I expected," was her unspoken comment. "It's a wonder that Etta West don't use more discretion about furniture." Mrs. West dabbed her moist forehead with her handkerchief, flopped the palm-leaf indeterminately and cast an alarmed glance heavenward. "Gracious, Persis, first thing you know, he'll be coming through." "'Twon't hurt him to wait," Persis said again, as if long testing had proved the reliability of the formula. "He called me up-stairs fifteen minutes ago," she added, "to have me get down the 'cyclopedia and find out when Confucius was born." "I want to know," murmured Mrs. West, visibly impressed. "He's certainly got an active mind." "He has," Persis agreed dryly. "And it's the sort of mind that makes lots of activity for other folks' hands and feet. Does that noise worry you, Mis' West? For if it does, I'll run up and quiet him before we get down to business."