Mrs. Price was agitated. "Oh, yes, we must try to keep the peace for Winnie's sake. You must remember, Perry, this is a hard time for her."
Mr. Price walked back and forth across the room, flapping his coat-tails with his hands and blowing out his mustache. "I should say it was! I should say it was!" he repeated. He had his head lowered like that of a bull about to charge, and in the depths of his murky blue eyes glowed a surreptitious spark of triumph. "Bad blood in that Farley family," he said.
Winnie came into the room reluctantly, prepared to resist her father's bullying. Her soft eyes were hard with reserves.
Mr. Price came up to her and gave her a dominating caress. "Well, Winifred, how are you, my dear little girl?"
She returned his perfunctory kiss, her moist lips cool with distaste.
"Feeling pretty badly, dear?"
"No, Father. I'm feeling pretty well."
He cleared his throat. He was disappointed.
"I ought to be going home," Winnie pouted, smiling a little, "but Mother won't let me. I had letters from Laurie and Mamma Farley just today and they are worried about me."
"Worried about you! So are we worried about you! I'd like to know where home is if it's not right here with your mother! Your own mother is certainly the one to take care of you when you're in this state!"