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De Peyster, who, her affection now under control, stood regarding him with reproving and sternly questioning eyes. "Good-morning, mother, glad to get back," he said, imprinting an undaunted kiss upon her stately cheek. Her reply was a continuance of her reproving look. The young man turned to Mrs. De Peyster's faithful satellite. "Hello, Olivetta. Hands out of commission.
De Peyster's inventory, a horror out-climaxing any in Olivetta's tragic list, burst suddenly upon Mrs. De Peyster. Her face went pale, fell loose. "Mrs. Allistair!" she barely articulated. "Mrs. Allistair?" Olivetta repeated blankly. "Don't you see if I stay at home don't sail Mrs. Allistair will use it as capital against me and she'll ride over me to " "Caroline!" gasped the appalled Olivetta.
De Peyster, followed by Olivetta and Matilda. There was a lofty sternness in Mrs. De Peyster's manner. "Miss Gardner, I believe I heard you speaking with a man." "You did." Miss Gardner was stiff, proudly erect, for she sensed what might be coming. "Where is he?" "He went out through the window," said Miss Gardner. "Ah, he did not want me to find out about you.
"If you can stand it, I think it would be safer, ma'am. But what will you eat?" There was a brief silence. Mrs. De Peyster's air grew almost tragic. "Matilda, do you realize that you and I have got to live for the summer, for the entire summer, upon the amount you have been accustomed to ordering for yourself!" "It looks that way, ma'am." The epicure in Mrs.
Matilda's gaze, which had several times wandered to a point a few inches below Mrs. De Peyster's throat, now fixed themselves upon this spot. She spoke hesitantly. "There's your pearl pendant you forgot and kept on when you put on my dress to go out riding with William."
Several times Matilda's eye had gone furtively toward the pendant. "I don't see why," she at length said doggedly, "you shouldn't let me pawn that pearl." "I believe I have requested you not to refer to this again." Mrs. De Peyster's tone was stiff. Matilda's face showed stubborn bitterness. But the habit of obedience was too old and strong for her to speak further. There was another silence.
He bent down close to Mrs. De Peyster's ear. "Don't let Mary know how mother objected to her; I haven't told her, and she doesn't guess it. And oh, Matilda," he bubbled out enthusiastically, "she's the kind of a little sport that will stick by a chap through anything, and she's clever and full of fun, and a regular little dear!" He turned. "Come here, Mary," he called softly. "This is Matilda."
"I've told you of Mrs. De Peyster's attitude toward married " "Then leave her, my dear. Even though it wouldn't be safe for you to be with me till the police resume their interrupted nap still, you can have your own flat and your own bank account. Nothing would make me happier." "Understand this, Mr. Bradford, I'm going to have nothing to do with you!" For a moment he sobered.
And Matilda pointed above the fireplace to a gold-framed likeness of Mrs. De Peyster stately, aloof, remote, of an ineffable composure, a masterpiece of blue-bloodedness. "You know my invariable custom; give him my invariable answer," was Mrs. De Peyster's crisp response. "Pardon me, but but, Cousin Caroline," put in Olivetta, with eager diffidence, "don't you think this is different?"
He turned slowly about, for their better observation; then grinned and lowered his voice: "It's young De Peyster's; found it in his room, and helped myself. Burned my clergyman's outfit in the kitchen range before any one was up; best to leave no clues lying around." He, too, had come to talk plans, and quickly Mr. Pyecroft settled them.
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