Will you kindly excuse me?

PIKE

Hold on a minute! I'm looking for some Americans here, and I expect you know 'em—boy and girl named Simpson.

HORACE

Is there any possibility that you mean Granger-Simpson?[pg 059]

[His tone is both alarmed and truculent.]

PIKE

[much pleased]

No, sir; just plain Simpson. Granger's their middle name. That's for old Jed Granger, grandfather on their ma's side.

[He pronounces "ma" with the broad Hoosier accent—"maw.">[