Part 14 (1/2)
”Oh, you have?” said Arkwright, trying to be facetious of look and tone
”Yes,” said Josh, in his abrupt, decisive way He threw the cigarette into the empty fireplace and stood up ”I think I'll take your advice and marry Miss Severance”
”Really!”under his breath, ”Insolent puppy!”
”Yes, I think she'll do” Craig spoke as if his verdict were probably overpartial to her ”It's queer about families and the kind of children they have Every once in a while you'll find a du with liquor or some other ferment, and it'll incubate an idea, a real idea It's that way about paternity--or, rather, aret's could have brought such a person as she is into the world?”
”Mrs Severence is a very sweet and a ”She's a nothing--a puff of wind--a nit Such as she, by the great gross, wouldn't count one”
”I doubt if it would be--wise--politically, I mean--for you to marry a woman of--of the fashi+onable set” Grant spoke judicially, with constraint in his voice
”You're quite right there,” answered Craig pro the idea since I discovered that she loves me”
Grant leaped to his feet ”Loves you!” he shouted Josh smiled calmly
”Loves me,” said he ”Why not, pray?”
”I--I--I--don't know,” answered Grant weakly
”Oh, yes, you do You think I'h for her--as if this were not Aht to consider what such thoughts mean, as revelations of your own character, Grant”
”You uilty
”Didn't I originally suggest her to you?”
”But you didn't really ht the quintessence of impertinence ”You never dreamed she'd fall in love with me”
”Josh,” said Grant, ”I wish you wouldn't say that sort of thing It's not considered proper in this part of the country for a gentleman to speak out that way about wo in love? Besides, aren't youto?”
”You confide everything to everybody”
Craig looked amused ”There are only two that can keep a secret,” said he, ”nobody and everybody I trust either the one or the other, and neither has ever betrayed inal subject: I'd prefer you didn't talk tolady”
”Why? Because you're in love with her, yourself?”
Grant silently stared at the floor
”Poor old chap,” said Craig syht winced, started to protest, decided it was just as well to let Craig think what he pleased at that juncture