"How long is forever, Becky?"
She could not answer that. But she was sure that friendship was like love and lived beyond the grave. They were very serious about it, these two young people drinking tea.
II
It was when the four of them were gathered together that night in the library that Becky asked Archibald Cope to read "The Trumpeter Swan."
"Randy wrote it," she said, "and he sent the manuscript to me this morning."
The Admiral was at once interested. "He got the name from the swan in the Judge's Bird Room?"
"Yes."
"Has he ever written anything before?" Louise asked.
"Lots of little things. Lovely things——"