Part 43 (1/2)
”If only Flora would get well, and let me leave this beastly hole,” had been the burden of his complaint.
”I thought you liked it.”
”It is well enough for a time.”
”What about the new little girl?”
He was plainly embarra.s.sed, but bluffed it out. ”I wish you wouldn't ask questions.”
”I wish you wouldn't be--rude--Georgie-Porgie.”
”I hate that name, Madge. Any man has a right to be rude when a woman calls him 'Georgie-Porgie.'”
”So that's it? Well, now run along. And please don't come again until you are nice--and smiling.”
”Oh, look here, Madge.”
”Run along----”
”But there isn't any place to run.”
Laughter lurked in her eyes. ”Oh, Georgie-Porgie--for once in your life can't you run away?”
”Do you think you are funny?”
”Perhaps not. Smile a little, Georgie.”
”How can anybody smile, with everybody sick?”
”Oh, no, we're not. We are better. I am so glad that Flora is improving.”
”Oscar thinks it is because that little old man prayed for her. Fancy Oscar----”
Madge meditated. ”Yet it might be, you know, George. There are things in that old man's pet.i.tion that transcend all our philosophy.”
”Oh, you're as bad as Oscar,” said George. He rose and stood frowning on the threshold. ”Well, good-bye, Madge.”
”Good-bye, Georgie, and smile when you come again.”
She had guessed then that something had gone wrong in the game with the new little girl. She had a consuming curiosity to know the details.
But she could never force things with Georgie. Some day, perhaps, he would tell her.
And now here was news indeed! She waited until young Beaufort and his wife had driven away, and until Mrs. Flippin had time for that quiet hour by her bedside.
”Mary looked lovely,” said Madge.
”Didn't she?” Mrs. Flippin rocked and talked. ”You would never have known that dress was made for anybody but for Mary. Becky gave Mary another dress out of a lot she had down from New York. It is yellow organdie, made by hand and with little embroidered scallops.”
Madge knew the house which made a specialty of those organdie gowns with embroidered scallops, and she knew the price.
”But how does--Becky manage to have such lovely things?”