Part 4 (1/2)

Yet--to his surprise, it must be admitted--he found himself not bored by that table-talk. It was such table-talk, by the way, as is not to be had under ordinary roofs. He now recognized that he had only partially appreciated the qualities of mind possessed by Judge Gray--certainly not his capacity for brilliant conversation. Mr. Robert Gray was quite his elder brother's match, however, and more than once Kendrick caught Louis Gray's eye meeting his own with the glance which means delighted pride in the contest of wits which is taking place. All three young men enjoyed it to the full, and even Ted listened with eyes full of eager desire to comprehend that which he understood to be worth trying hard for.

”They enjoy these encounters keenly,” said Mrs. Gray, beside Richard, as a telling story by Mr. Robert Gray, in ill.u.s.tration of a point he had made, came to a conclusion amid a burst of appreciative laughter. ”They relish them quite as much, we think, as if they often succeeded in convincing each other, which they seldom do.”

”Are they always in such form?” asked Richard, looking into the fresh, attractive face of the lady who was the mistress of this home, and continuing to watch her with eyes as deferential as they were admiring.

She, too, represented a type of woman and mother with which he was unfamiliar. Grace and charm in women who presided at dinner-tables he had often met, but he could not remember when before he had sat at the right hand of a woman who had made him begin, for almost the first time in his life, to wonder what his own mother had been like.

”Nearly always, at night, I think,” said she, her eyes resting upon her husband's face. Richard, observing, saw her smile, and guessed, without looking, that there had been an exchange of glances. He knew, because he had twice before noted the exchange, as if there existed a peculiarly strong sympathy between husband and wife. This inference, too, possessed a curious new interest for the young man--he had not been accustomed to see anything of that sort between married people of long standing--not in the world he knew so well. He seemed to be learning strange new possibilities of existence at every step, since he had discovered the Grays--he who at twenty-eight had not thought there was very much left in human experience to be discovered.

”Is it different in the morning?” Richard inquired.

”Quite different. They are rather apt to take things more seriously in the morning. The day's work is just before them and they are inclined to discuss grave questions and dispose of them. But at night, when the lights are burning and every one comes home with a sense of duty done, it is natural to throw off the weights and be merry over the same matters which, perhaps, it seemed must be argued over in the morning. We all look forward to the dinner-table.”

”I should think you might,” agreed Richard, looking about him once more at the faces which surrounded him. He caught Roberta's eye, as he did so--much to his satisfaction--and she gave him a straightforward, steady look, as if she were taking his measure for the first time. Then, quite suddenly, she smiled at him and turned away to speak to Ted, who sat by her side.

Richard continued to watch, and saw that immediately Ted looked his way and also smiled. He wanted so much to know what this meant, that, as soon as dinner was over and they were all leaving the room, he fell in with the boy and, putting his hand through Ted's arm, whispered with artful intent: ”Was my tie under my left ear?”

Ted stared up at him. ”Your tie's all right, Mr. Kendrick.”

”Then it wasn't that. Perhaps my coat collar was turned up?”

”Why, no,” the boy laughed. ”You look as right as anything. What made you think--”

”I saw you and your sister laughing at me and it worried me. I thought I must be looking the guy some way.”

Ted considered. ”Oh, no!” he said. ”She asked me if I thought you were enjoying the dinner as well as you would have liked the corn-popping.”

”And what did you decide?”

”I said I couldn't tell, because I never saw you at a corn-popping. I asked her that day we went to walk why she wouldn't ask you to it, but she just said you were too busy to come. I didn't think you acted too busy to come,” he said navely, glancing up into Richard's down-bent face.

”Didn't I? Haven't I looked very busy whenever you have seen me in your uncle's library?”

Ted shook his head. ”I don't think you have--not the way Louis looks busy in father's office, nor the way father does.”

Richard laughed, but somehow the frank comment stung him a little, as he would not have imagined the comment of an eleven-year-old boy could have done. ”See here, Ted,” he urged, ”tell me why you say that. I think myself I've done a lot of work since I've been here, and I can't see why I haven't looked it.”

But Ted shook his head. ”I don't think it would be polite to tell you,”

he said, which naturally did not help matters much.

Still holding the lad's arm, Richard walked over to Roberta, who had gone to the piano and was arranging some sheets of music there.

”Miss Gray,” he said, ”have you accomplished a great deal to-day?”

She looked up, puzzled. ”A great deal of what?” she asked.

”Work--endeavour--strenuous endeavour.”

”The usual amount. Lessons--and lessons--and one more lesson. I have really more pupils than I can do justice to, but I am promised an a.s.sistant if the work grows too heavy,” she answered. ”Why, please?”