Five minutes after, while Uncle Rob was helping one of the high-school girls to choose a novel, in came the man again, out of breath and his face red. "This ain't right," he said, holding out the roll.
Uncle Rob saw that it hadn't been undone; for he recognized his style of wrapping. "What's the matter with it?" he asked.
"'T ain't right," said the man. "The lady over there," and he pointed the roll at the cashier, "said something about a widder without dower, and there ain't no widder in the deal."
The cashier's jaw dropped. "I—I—" she began; but I was at her elbow.
"'With-or-without-dower,'—'widder without dower,'" I mimicked. Down went her head onto the desk, and I stuffed my handkerchief into my mouth.
Uncle Rob saw the point right off, and I never in my life saw any one make such a heroic effort not to laugh. I thought fora moment that it would come out in spite of all he could do; but I hoped it wouldn't; for the man was so uncomfortable already. Uncle Rob closed his eyes for just a second,—it wasn't more than a mere
