After dinner, husband and wife sat on their veranda steps while Martin smoked a pipe or two. He was very thoughtful, she silently content. Suddenly he broke out:
“Charlotte, did you and the Judge quarrel?”
Charlotte started perceptibly and answered after a decided pause:
“What makes you think we did?”
“I saw your handshake.”
He felt rather than saw another little shrug. It was a reckless gesture. Charlotte wanted very much to quarrel with her little gods just then. She kept silence, however, and he was forced to go on insistently.
“Did he try to make love to you?”
There was a miserable humor in her reply. “Not in your acceptance of the term, Martin.”
“Well, what is my acceptance of the term? I should like to know what you mean by that.”
“He did not put his arm around my waist or try to kiss me.”