White-jacket George was glad of an opportunity to leave the room and lean upon Mist' Jackson's shoulder in the pantry. “He don't know they WAS any suhmon!” he concluded, having narrated the dining-room dialogue. “All he know is he was with 'at lady lives nex' do'!” George was right.
“Did you go to church all by yourself, Bibbs?” Sibyl asked.
“No,” he answered. “No, I didn't go alone.”
“Oh?” Sibyl gave the ejaculation an upward twist, as of mocking inquiry, and followed it by another, expressive of hilarious comprehension. “OH!”
Bibbs looked at her studiously, but she spoke no further. And that completed the conversation at the lugubrious feast.
Coffee came finally, was disposed of quickly, and the party dispersed to other parts of the house. Bibbs followed his father and Roscoe into the library, but was not well received.
“YOU go and listen to the phonograph with the women-folks,” Sheridan commanded.
Bibbs retreated. “Sometimes you do seem to be a hard sort of man!” he said.
However, he went obediently to the gilt-and-brocade room in which his mother and his sister and his sister-in-law had helplessly withdrawn, according to their Sabbatical custom. Edith sat in a corner, tapping her feet together and looking at them; Sibyl sat in the center of the room, examining a brooch which she had detached from her throat; and Mrs. Sheridan was looking over a collection of records consisting exclusively of Caruso and rag-time. She selected one of the latter, remarking that she thought it “right pretty,” and followed it with one of the former and the same remark.
As the second reached its conclusion, George appeared in the broad doorway, seeming to have an errand there, but he did not speak. Instead, he favored Edith with a benevolent smile, and she immediately left the room, George stepping aside for her to precede him, and then disappearing after her in the hall with an air of successful diplomacy. He made it perfectly clear that Edith had given him secret instructions and that it had been his pride and pleasure to fulfil them to the letter.