The other was clad in a stout and rather shabby boot and black lisle ! Poor Rilla ! She had changed , or begun to change her boots and stockings after she had put on her dress . This was the result of doing one thing with your hands and another with your brain . Oh , what a ridiculous position to be in -- and before Irene Howard of all people -- Irene , who was staring at Rilla 's feet as if she had never seen feet before ! And once she had thought Irene 's manner perfection ! Everything that Rilla had prepared to say vanished from her memory . Vainly trying to tuck her unlucky foot under her chair , she blurted out a blunt statement . `` I have come to athk a favour of you , Irene . '' There -- lisping ! Oh , she had been prepared for humiliation but not to this extent ! Really , there were limits ! `` Yes ? '' said Irene in a cool , questioning tone , lifting her shallowly-set , insolent eyes to Rilla 's crimson face for a moment and then dropping them again as if she could not tear them from their fascinated gaze at the shabby boot and the gallant shoe . Rilla gathered herself together . She would not lisp -- she would be calm and composed . `` Mrs. Channing can not come because her son is ill in Kingsport , and I have come on behalf of the committee to ask you if you will be so kind as to sing for us in her place . '' Rilla enunciated every word so precisely and carefully that she seemed to be reciting a lesson . `` It 's something of a fiddler 's invitation , is n't it ? '' said Irene , with one of her disagreeable smiles .
`` Olive Kirk asked you XXXXX help when we first thought of the concert and you refused , '' said Rilla .
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