“What—” but Jimmy did not finish the question. He remained haughtily and hotly silent until he could once more speak like a gentleman.
“I was not aware that you knew Mr. Ferry.”
“I did not until a few days ago. I went to his house to ask his daughter to marry me. He couldn’t quite see it, but his manners were not those of a swineherd.”
Silence. Jimmy’s self control was perfect now, but his wrath was coruscating.
“I saw Gratia later, and she refused me.”
Instantly the heat was quenched.
“She refused me because she did not love me. Of course if she loved a man, she’d marry him no matter how impossible a name he bore. I asked her one or two questions about you, and she timidly expressed a wish that hogs were woolly. I don’t think you can blame girls for such feelings. They’re sensitive, you know.”
“Yes,” said Jimmy. “Finer organization.”
“You bet. Now, wouldn’t your mother’s name do just as well for you as your father’s?”
“I’m not an Endicott, but perhaps I could spell my last name ‘Hogue.’ Do you think that would please her?”