“I? No, not exactly.”
Garwood’s voice was ringing loud and clear. Members came in from the lobby, from the cloak rooms, from the committee rooms. Men gathered in the seats near Garwood to hear him the better. Now and then there was the sharp rattle of clapping hands.
Dade’s eyes were glowing.
“Isn’t he fahn?” she said. “He’s handsome, too. Ah heahd him make his great speech the night befo’ he was elected—yo’ heahd of it, didn’t yo’?”
Beck only smiled. She turned again to listen, but her attention was not steadfast. Beck had hardly been listening at all.
“Don’t yo’ think him fahn?” she inquired.
“He is really a good speaker,” the lieutenant admitted. Dade looked at him, fixing her brown eyes steadily in his blue ones.
“What do yo’ all know abaout him?” she asked suddenly.
“Why do you ask?” he parried.
“Yo’ speak so strangely—yo’ ah so queah abaout him.”