The volatile Agnes was restored to good humor by some subtle quality in the utterance, and a family pride asserted itself.
“He just stopped me to say it's been the best year he ever had,” she explained, with ostentatious vanity.
Mary appeared sceptical.
“How can that be,” she demanded, “when the dead line now is John Street?”
“The dead line!” Aggie scoffed. A peal of laughter rang merrily from her curving lips.
“Why, Jim takes lunch every day in the Wall Street Delmonico's. Yes,” she went on with increasing animation, “and only yesterday he went down to Police Headquarters, just for a little excitement, 'cause Jim does sure hate a dull life. Say, he told me they've got a mat at the door with 'Welcome' on it—in letters three feet high. Now, what—do—you—think—of that!” Aggie teetered joyously, the while she inhaled a shockingly large mouthful of smoke. “And, oh, yes!” she continued happily, “Jim, he lifted a leather from a bull who was standing in the hallway there at Headquarters! Jim sure does love excitement.”
Mary lifted her dark eyebrows in half-amused inquiry.
“It's no use, Agnes,” she declared, though without entire sincerity; “I can't quite keep up with your thieves' argot—your slang, you know. Just what did this brother of yours do?”
“Why, he copped the copper's kale,” Aggie translated, glibly.
Mary threw out her hands in a gesture of dismay.