Gergue leaned forward and clapped his knee and chuckled. Something pleased him. Amos watched him with an expression of comical bewilderment, until Gergue caught his eye and sobered abruptly. Then Amos asked, most casually:
“How’s young Wint, Peter?”
Gergue looked sharply at the Congressman. “The boy? We-ell—he’s over twenty-one.”
“Er—is he?”
Amos squinted at the ceiling. “Seems to me he is. He was three years ahead of Agnes in school and high school, and she is twenty now. He must be twenty-two or three.”
Peter considered this, but made no comment. After a moment Amos asked again: “So—how is he, Peter?”
Gergue rummaged through his back hair. “We-ell—they kicked him out of State for over-study of booze.”
Amos nodded. “I know. But—how is he?”
“Still at—the booze?”