The judge was always suave to Fred Lansing, who represented a large fortune and a lineage as good and long as his own.
“Oh, no,” he said, with a wave of his hand, “I couldn’t sleep, thinking of that infernal row at the bank. I wonder I did not lose my mind with all that howling Babel. I don’t want Herbert bamboozled by the Grey girl. She is all right in her place, and did grand work yesterday. My wife will write her a note of thanks, and I shall make her a present at Christmas, if somebody will remind me of it. She sings well. How would it do to give her one of those things, you know, that pull out with a bellus!”
He looked at Herbert, who had gulped down his coffee and was clenching his fists under the table. At his father’s last words he sprang up and exclaimed:
“Oh, heavens, father! don’t insult Louie with an accordion; better give her a jew’s-harp!” and left the room, banging the door behind him.
The judge gave a knowing nod to his wife and said:
“I told you so. He is half gone with that Grey girl. Better get him out of town as soon as possible. Can’t you take him with you to Newport? I’ll trust you to cure him.”
He turned to Fred, who was also leaving the table in something of a hurry, and affected not to hear him.
“I don’t know but Bert is right. His father would make it rather hot for him, if he knew; but it is hard on the girl. I wonder how much she really cares for him, and if there will not come an awakening,” Fred was thinking as he went to his room and busied himself for a time with his portmanteau, putting something very carefully away in it. “I ought to know all the commandments. I have said them at Sunday school often enough, and hear them in church. One of them is, ‘Thou shalt not steal!’” he said. “I reckon I have broken it, and the worst of it is, I don’t care,” he continued, as he locked his valise and went downstairs to join his mother and Blanche Percy on the piazza.
There were fresh napkins for lunch that day, but only five of the six used at breakfast were put into the basket for soiled linen by the maid, who, with her mind on many duties, did not notice the absence of the sixth. Nor was it missed for a long time, and when search was made it was not to be found. Nancy Sharp, who sometimes worked for the White house was accredited with taking it home and forgetting to return it, but as it was very thin, nothing was said to her about it and it was finally forgotten.