A flush ran up Cuthbert's pale determined face. It took some of the hardness out of it.
"Did she condescend to ask for me?" he asked abruptly. "Or pretend that she knew me at all?"
"She never said a word about you," said his mother; "but----"
"But--what a lot there may be in a but," said Jean.
"She looked most sympathetic," said Mrs. Leighton lamely. Cuthbert moved impatiently.
"What silly affairs afternoon calls must be," said he.
"Miss Steven--the girl you ran away with--isn't well to-day, and they are rather anxious about her. She is very upset, but wanted to come and tell you how much she thanked you."
"Oh, lor," said Cuthbert, "what a time I shall have when I'm well. I shall go abroad, I think."
Elma gazed at him with superb devotion. He seemed such a man--to be careless of so much appreciation, and from the Story Books too! Cuthbert appeared very discontented.
"Oh, these people!" he exclaimed; "they call and thank one as they would their gardener if he had happened to pull one of 'em out of a pond. It's the same thing, mummy! They never intend to be really friendly, you know."