“Well, on the whole, I think you’re right about the girls,” said O’Leary. “We’ll give them a grand-stand finish to-night, and then we’ll get down to tacks.”
Flick came in with his hat over his eyes, saying gloomily:
“Is the wake still on?”
While King O’Leary was explaining the finality of the ceremony, there came a rush and tap outside, and the voice of Belle Shaler cried:
“Tootles, Pansy’s cut her finger.”
“Good Lord!” said Tootles, who sprang from the imaginary bathtub to the door, to find Belle Shaler confronting him with a scornful glance.
“Hmm! Bathtub! Well, young man, I know what I’d do to you.”
But behind Belle was Pansy, with soulful eyes, holding out an imploring hand, saying in the voice of an angel:
“Tootles—please!”
Tootles went, and when he returned, he said triumphantly, deadened to all sense of shame: