She frowned.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Claude. You simply can’t ask that man here. You told me he swore and——”
“But only when he’s annoyed. You swear when you are annoyed, don’t you? I’ve heard you.”
“Claude!” She jerked her beautiful head upward.
“Swearing isn’t a matter of words entirely—it’s an emotion. You say ’bother,’ I should say ’damn,’ and Conlan would say something far more effective, and they each express exactly the same emotion. But you can’t judge a man by his vocabulary.”
“I judge him by your description of him—a retired cowboy, with few manners and less morals——” 54
Claude put the card into an envelope and sealed the latter with a heavy blow of his fist.
“Angela, you are perfectly cattish at times. Why shouldn’t I ask Conlan here? He’s as good as you or I, or any of the people who visit us. That he is rough in his ways and speech is due to the fact that he has had to work for his living.”
Angela’s lips curled a little.
“And, moreover, unless something happens to prevent it, I shall in all probability have to solicit orders for motor-cars, or some other necessary evil. You, Angela, may have to write figures in a ledger, or look after somebody else’s children.”