"And will you—please?"
He looked at her and she at him. Then he nodded.
"I'll stay," he said, and sat down in his chair.
"Thank you," said Elizabeth. "Now, Elvira.... Wait, mother, please."
Miss Snowden sniffed once more. "Now that that important matter is settled I suppose I may be allowed to go on," she observed, with sarcasm. "Very good, I will do so in spite of the presence of—of those not—ahem—intimately concerned. Mrs. Berry, on behalf of this committee here, a committee of the whole——"
"No such thing," this from Mrs. Tidditt. "I'm part of the whole but I ain't part of that committee. Stick to the truth, Elviry—pays better."
"Hush, Esther," begged Miss Berry. "Let her go on, please. Go on, Elvira."
The head of the committee breathed fiercely through her thin nostrils. Then she made another attempt.
"I address you, Mrs. Cordelia Berry," declaimed Elvira, "because you are supposed—I say supposed—to be officially the managing director—or directress, to speak correct—of this institution. Not," she added, hastily, "that it is an institution in any sense of the word—like a home or any such thing. We all know that, I hope and trust. Although," with a venomous glance in the direction of Mrs. Esther, "there appear to be some that know precious little. I mention no names."
"You don't need to," retorted the Tidditt lady promptly. "Never mind, I know enough not to vote to buy a lot of second-handed images and critters just because they belong to one of your relations. I know that much, Elviry Snowden."