Part 23 (1/2)
”I don't suppose you smoke a pipe,” Di remarked, in a strictly conversational tone.
”Well, no; I can't say I do. Why?”
”I only thought I should like to light one for you. You know,” she added, confidentially, ”girls always light their grandfathers' pipes in books. And I've had so little practice in that sort of thing!”
”In pipes?”
”No--in grandfathers!”
There came a pause, occupied, on Di's part, by a swift, not altogether approving survey of the stiff, high-studded room. This time it was the old gentleman who broke the silence.
[Ill.u.s.tration: ”'Good afternoon, Grandfather,' was the apparition's cheerful greeting.”]
”I believe you are the young lady who admired that old clodhopper in the picture,” he remarked.
”Oh, yes; he was a great darling!”
”He wasn't very handsome.”
”No, but--there is always something so dear about a grandfather!”
”Always?”
”Yes; always!” and suddenly Di left her seat, and, taking a few steps forward, she dropped on her knees before him.
”Grandfather,” she said, clasping her small gloved hands on his knee, ”Grandfather!”
She was meaning to be very eloquent indeed,--that is, if it were to become necessary. She did not dream that that one word, so persuasively spoken, was more eloquent than a whole oration.
”Well, Miss Di?”
”Grandfather, I've a great favour to ask of you, and I should like to have you say 'yes' beforehand!”
He looked down upon her with a heart rendered surprisingly soft by that first word,--and a mind much tickled by the audacity of the rest of it.
”And are you in the habit of getting favours granted in the dark?” he inquired.
”Papa says I usually bag my game!”
Now old Mr. Crosby had been a sportsman in his day, and he was mightily pleased with the little jest. But he only asked:
”And what's your game in this instance, if you please?”
”You!”
”Oh, I! And you want to bag me? Bag me for what?”
”For dinner!”