"Were you much hurt?" asked Mrs. De Peyster, for a moment forgetting her reproving manner in her affectionate concern.
"Mother, with your love for old lace, you certainly would like the openwork effect of my skin. But—the patient will recover."
"I trust this experience has been a lesson to you!" said Mrs. De Peyster with returned severity.
"Oh, it has—a big lesson!" Jack heartily agreed.
"Then I trust you will do nothing of the kind again."
"I trust I won't have to!"
There was rather an odd quality in Jack's tone.
"Won't have to? What do you mean?"
"You've questioned me a lot, mother. I'd like to put a few leading questions to you. And—u'm—alone. Olivetta," he remarked pleasantly, "do you know that Sherlock Holmes found it an instructive and valuable occupation to count the stair-steps in a house? Suppose you run out for five minutes and count 'em. I'll bet you a box of—"
Olivetta had risen, somewhat indignantly.