Cord laid his hand on her shoulder. "Do you think you could
demolish Eddie just as well at table, my dear?" he said. "If so,
there's no use in letting the food get cold."
"Oh, she can do it anywhere," replied Eddie, bitterly, and then,
striking his habitual note of warning, he went on, "but, honestly,
Crystal, if you had heard what your father and I heard this morning--"
"I had a visit from David's brother this morning," put in Mr. Cord,
"the editor of your favorite morning paper."
"Ben Moreton, here! Oh, _father_, why didn't you call me? Yes, I
know," she added, as her father opened his mouth to say that she had
left most particular instructions that she was to be allowed to sleep
as late as she could, "I know, but you must have known I should have
wanted to look David's brother over. Has he long hair? Does he wear a
soft tie? Did you hate him?"
"Eddie didn't take much of a fancy to him."
"I should say not. A damned, hollow-eyed fanatic."
"Is he as good-looking as David, father? What does he look like?"
Mr. Cord hesitated. "Well, a little like my engraving of Thomas
Jefferson as a young man."
"He looks as if he might have a bomb in his pocket."
"Oh, Eddie, do keep quiet, there's a dear, and let father give me one
of his long, wonderful accounts. Go ahead, father."
"Well," said Mr. Cord, helping himself from a dish that Tomes was
presenting to him, "as I told you, Eddie had dropped in very kindly to
scold me about you, when Tomes announced Mr.
Pages:
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59