“Oh, papa!” exclaimed Wynnette, “we have just heard the news! Oh! won’t Le be glad when he hears it?”
“My dear children,” said Mr. Force, very solemnly and also a little inconsistently, “we should never rejoice at any good that may come to us through the death or misfortune of a fellow creature.”
“But, oh, papa! in this case we can’t help it.”
“There’s the dinner bell,” said Abel Force, irrelevantly.
CHAPTER VII
THE EARL OF ENDERBY
Washington City in the month of September is very quiet and sleepy. The torrid heat of the summer is passing away, but has not passed.
It returns in hot waves when the incense of its burning seems to rise to heaven.
No one goes out in the sun who is not obliged to go, or does anything else he or she is not obliged to do.
The Forces lived quietly in their city home during this month, neither making nor receiving calls.
The subject of Col. Anglesea’s death and of Le’s return very naturally occupied much of their thought.