“Oh, yes, Caroline,” answers Frederica, with a little sigh, and they go.
Leida and Hendrika made a slight grimace.
“Papa really might go out for a walk with us.”
“Oh, fie! girls!” said their mother, “that would not be at all proper on a day like this.”
“Couldn’t we keep the day just as well to-morrow, mamma?” asked Leida simply. “I don’t see why we should have to keep it up for twenty years; I’m quite sure that Uncle Van Noost Prigson himself doesn’t remember it now.”
The name made Van Arlen look up.
“Oh, papa—have you heard anything more about the situation uncle was talking about at dinner that day?” asked Marie.
“That’s all come to nothing, dear child; I have been talking it over, but they say they can’t do without me at the office.”
“But, papa,” asked Hortense, “if they can’t do without you, how does it happen that you have less to do than you had?”
“Does the importance of a position lie in the mere amount of work?” asked Van Arlen, with dignity.