“I shall go with you,” put in Mrs. Levice, decidedly.
“No, dear; you could not stand the cold in New York, and I could not be bothered with a woman’s grip-sack.”
“Take Ruth, then.”
“I should love to go with you, Father,” she replied to the questioning glance of his eyes. He seemed to ponder over it for a while, but shook his head finally.
“No,” he said again; “I shall be very busy, and a woman would be a nuisance to me. Besides, I wish to be alone for a while.”
They all looked at him in surprise; he was so unused to making testy remarks.
“Grown tired of womankind?” asked Mrs. Levice, playfully. “Well, if you must, you must; don’t overstay your health and visit, and bring us something pretty. How long will you be gone?”
“That depends on the speediness of the courts. No more than three weeks at the utmost, however.”
So the following Wednesday being bright and sunny, he set off; the family crossed the bay with him.
“Take care of your mother, Ruth,” he said at parting, “and of yourself, my pale darling.”