Mary had automatically taken up sobbing, with the release of the cigarette. She looked at the table on which were letter paper, pens and ink.
"I may write here?" she asked.
"Surely, ma'am," replied Milton, still very much overwhelmed by her sorrow.
Weepy Mary sat there, writing and sobbing.
In the midst of his sympathy, however, Milton sniffed. There was an unmistakable odor of tobacco smoke about the room. He looked sharply at the "son" and discovered the still smoking cigarette.
It was too much for Milton's outraged dignity. Bennett did not allow him that coveted privilege. This upstart could not usurp it.
He reached over and seized the boy by the arm and swung him around till he faced a sign in the corner on the wall.
"See?" he demanded.
The sign read courteously:
"No Smoking in This Office—Please. "PERRY BENNETT."