Stacey came up just as we were leaving. He made no attempt to speak to Milly, but asked Mrs. Roseveldt if he might call on Jim occasionally.
“My house is always open to you, Stacey,” Mrs. Roseveldt replied kindly, and Stacey thanked her and assisted Rosario to climb up beside her.
“Aren’t you going to compete for the high jump?” asked Mr. Van Silver. Stacey shook his head.
“That accident took all the starch out of you, didn’t it?” Mr. Van Silver continued. “Well, I don’t wonder; a nervous shock like that makes a fellow as weak as a rag. Never mind, Stacey, we’ll hear from you next year at Harvard. I shouldn’t wonder if you got on the ’Varsity crew.”
On our way home, Mrs. Roseveldt condoled with Rosario. “I am sorry for your brother’s disappointment,” she said; “though we were all interested in Adelaide’s brother. It is the great pity in these contests that every one cannot win.”
“It was not him to lose the race what troubled me,” said Rosario. “It was that he to hurt little Jim Armstrong, and some so bad boys near by to me did say he to do it upon purpose. They called him one ‘chump’ and ‘mucker.’ I know not what these words to mean, but I think that they are not of compliment.”
We assured her that we did not believe it possible that her brother had intentionally hurt Jim, and she was somewhat comforted.
“Fabrique is one little wild,” she said, “and his temper is not of the angels, but he could not be so bad.”
“Who was that old gentleman who came and spoke to you during the games?” Mr. Van Silver asked of me.
“He is Madame’s lawyer,” I replied. “We see him sometimes at the school.”