“But you paid an outrageous price for it, Mrs. Alex,” said Mr. Fabian.
“Twice as much as he would have taken,” added Mr. Ashby.
“I don’t care what it cost. I’d have given ten times the price to have it for Dodo,” snapped Mrs. Alexander, not feeling the delight she had anticipated in the purchase.
Just then Mr. Alexander poked his bald head in at the doorway and said: “Ain’t you folks most ready to go on?”
“Come here, Ebeneezer! I want you to give that address of the hotel in Paris to this Mr. Maxton. I bought a chest for Dodo and he is to ship it there, so’s I can fill it when I arrive,” said Mrs. Alexander.
“Have I got the address?” stammered her husband.
“Of course! In that red-covered leather memorandum book.”
Mr. Alexander searched in his pockets and finally brought out a little book from his inside coat-pocket. He fumbled the pages as he sought for the needed address, and murmured so that the others could distinctly hear.
“H—um, what’s this? ‘Go to the barber’s for a clean shave every day—don’t forget.’ It ain’t that.” Then he turned to the next page, and squinted at the writing.
“‘Ne—ver use a knife at table when you eat—only to cut.’ It ain’t that page, nuther.”