Bell seemed to think it would suit," said Aaron.
Had he acquiesced in her timidity and not pressed the point, it
would have been all up with him. But the widow did not like to go
against the big uncle; and so she said, "Perhaps it may, sir."
"I guess it will, finely," said Aaron. And then the widow seeing
that the matter was so far settled, put down her work and came round
into the passage. Hetta followed her, for there would be housework
to do. Aaron gave himself another shake, settled the weekly number
of dollars--with very little difficulty on his part, for he had
caught another glance at Susan's face; and then went after his bag.
'Twas thus that Aaron Dunn obtained an entrance into Mrs. Bell's
house. "But what if he be a wolf?" she said to herself over and
over again that night, though not exactly in those words. Ay, but
there is another side to that question. What if he be a stalwart
man, honest-minded, with clever eye, cunning hand, ready brain,
broad back, and warm heart; in want of a wife mayhap; a man that can
earn his own bread and another's;--half a dozen others' when the
half dozen come? Would not that be a good sort of lodger? Such a
question as that too did flit, just flit, across the widow's
sleepless mind.
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