“Mercy no! Say, ‘I’ve had a very nice time.’”
“But suppose I didn’t have a nice time,—what’d I say?”
For a moment Hepsey struggled to reconcile her code of ethics with her idea of good manners, and then replied:
“Why say, ‘Mrs. Maxwell, it was awfully good of you to ask me,’ and I don’t believe she’ll notice anything wrong about that.”
“Hm!” Nickey retorted scornfully. “Seems pretty much like the same thing to me.”
“Oh no! Not in the least. Now what will you wear when we go to the rectory?”
“My gray suit, and tan shoes, and the green tie with the purple spots on it.”
“Who’ll be the first to sit down to the table?” 175
“Search me—maybe I will, if there’s good eats.”
“Nonsense! You must wait for Mrs. Maxwell and the rector to be seated first.”