And that was singular.
VII
A few mornings later Judge Hippisley stopped William on the street and spoke in his best bench manner:
"Will, I hate to speak about your daughter, but I've got to."
"Why, Judge, what's Ollie done? Isn't she fast enough?"
"Ollie's all right. I'm speaking of Prue. She's entirely too fast. I want you to tell her to let my son alone."
"Why, I—you—he—"
"My boy was clerking in Beadle's hardware-store, learning the business and earning twelve dollars a week. And now he spends half his time dancing with that dam—daughter of yours. And Beadle is going to fire him if he doesn't 'tend to business better."
"I—I'll speak to Prue," was all Pepperall dared to say. The judge had too many powers over him to be talked back to.
Papa spoke to Prue and it amused her very much. She said that old Mr. Beadle had better speak to his own boy, who was Orton's fiercest rival at the dances. And as for the fat old judge, he'd better take up dancing himself.