Yes, he “remembered the book quite well.” Lucile began to get the notion that once one of these book wizards set eyes upon an ancient volume he never forgot it.
“Strange case, that,” smiled Dan as he looked at her over his glasses.
“Ah! Here is where I learn something of real importance,” was the girl’s mental comment.
“You see,” Dan went on, “I sometimes have dinner with a very good friend who also loves books—the Reverend Dr. Edward Edwards. Dinner, on such occasions, is served on a tea-wagon in his library; sort of makes a fellow feel at home, don’t you know?
“Well, one of these evenings when the good doctor had an exceptional roast of mutton and a hubbard squash just in from the farm and a wee bit of something beside, he had me over. While we waited to be served I was glancing over his books and chanced to note the book you now have in your hand. ‘I see,’ I said to him jokingly, ‘that you have come into a legacy.’
“‘Why, no,’ he says looking up surprised. ‘Why should you think that?’
“I pointed to this little copy of ‘The Compleat Angler’ and said, ‘Only them as are very rich can afford to possess such as this one.’
“He looked at me in surprise, then smiled as he said, ‘I did pay a little too much for it, I guess, but the print was rather unusual; besides, it’s a great book. I don’t mind admitting that it cost me fifteen dollars.’
“‘Fifteen dollars!’ I exploded.
“‘Got trimmed, did I?’ he smiled back. ‘Well, you know the old saying about the clergy, no business heads on them, so we’ll let it stand at that.’