"Want one?" she says, tryin' to cover up her confusion by offerin' me a doughnut.
I took it, and thanked her. But still I stared. I made up my mind she'd got to give me some sort of explanation for what my eyes and ears told me was no dream. And she did, too, in her own way, and her own time.
'Twas after I'd made an observation 'bout how much she seemed to be enjoyin' herself.
"You appear to be havin' some fun, Isabel," I said.
Not lookin' at me at all, but apparently addressin' the doughnut she was intent on spearin', she replied, "I'm havin' fifteen dollars' worth, I guess."
So that was how the boys got their doughnuts and cheese free. I'd suspicioned it.
After I'd finished my doughnut, I walked over to Gramp and shook hands with the old man. Isabel must have thought I was shakin' hands good-by, for she made some sort of excuse about some salt in the cupboard, passed her fryin' fork to the feller next her, and came over my way.
"There's oats in the bin. Put your horse up in the barn," she said in a low voice, "and stay to supper, if you want to."
"All right, I will, thank yer."
