Old Grim Barnes flung down his cigar, gulped his coffee till he choked and stamped off to the telephone booth.
“Well?” he bellowed.
––That you, pater––sorry to disturb you, but––
––Of course it’s important and no damn nonsense about it, I–––
––No, I haven’t been arrested and am not in a police station.
––Then what the devil–––
––No devil, nothing of the sort. On the contrary, quite the opposite! I’ve called you up to report progress–––
––You know better than that, dad. I’ve only had two drinks.
––I’d better take four more and sober up? Now, Father Barnes, will you oblige me by cooling off for an instant? You recall that this afternoon you gave me a year within which to find a wife. Well, I’ve found one already.
––Now you know I’m intoxicated? Was my voice ever soberer––now listen.