Rickard, it was discovered, had nothing to say on the subject of the elopement.
“I’m sorry his sister is not here to-night,” began Marshall mischievously.
“I did ask her, Tod,” Claudia hastened to interrupt her lord. “But she would not leave her brother her last evening.”
“Her last evening?” exclaimed Rickard. “Is she going away?”
Marshall subdued his twinkle. “We are carrying her off. She is to visit Mrs. Marshall while I am on the road.”
“Just a few days,” put in his wife. “She feels that her brother wants to be by himself. I think she is right.”
And the Palmyra made early runs! He must see her that night. He would leave as soon as he decently could. Tony’s dinner was endless to him.
Mrs. Marshall found opportunity in her guest’s abstraction to explain to her husband that at last Mrs. Silent had consented to let her take the boy, Jimmie, “out” with her.
“She’s not well herself. Another!” She arched her eyebrows meaningly.
Rickard gulped down his coffee, boiling. Tony was looking with tragic concern at the untasted dessert on the engineer’s plate. “Mrs. Marshall, will you let me run away early?” Why should he give any excuse? They knew what he was running away for!