If Philip had only been scarred, or had a wound to show, his mother would have taken him with her, to make her reproof more effective, but, as he showed no marks of the encounter, she saw no advantage in his presence.
“You just give it to her, mother,” said Philip, in a tone of satisfaction.
“I shall know what to say, my son.”
“Just frighten her, and make her think we are going to have Harry arrested.”
“I shall make her understand that the boy has done a very serious thing, and has made himself amenable to the law.”
“That’s right, mother. Harry is too airy altogether. He seems to think that I am no better than he is—a common working boy like him!”
Mrs. Ross sailed out of the room, and dressed herself with unusual care, not out of respect for Mrs. Gilbert, but rather with the purpose of impressing her with her grandeur.
CHAPTER III — MRS. ROSS MAKES TWO UNSATISFACTORY VISITS
It was very seldom that Mrs. Ross condescended to visit her poorer neighbors, and it was, therefore, not without considerable surprise that Mrs. Gilbert called to the door about eleven o’clock, just as she had put on the potatoes to boil for dinner—recognized in the visitor on the doorstep Mrs. Colonel Ross.