“Of course, if you are afraid of him—” added Bates, slyly.
There was a momentary flash in Sylvia’s eyes. But then she laughed—“You can’t play a game like that on me!”
“We would so like,” said Jackson, “to see van Tuiver get a drubbing!”
“Please, Miss Castleman!” added Harmon, “give him a drubbing!”
But the girl only held out her white-gloved hands. “Look at these,” she said, “how pure and spotless!”
Said “Tubby”: “I hereby register a vow, I will never partake of food again until you two have met!”
Sylvia rose, looking bored. “I’m going to run away,” she said, “if you don’t find something interesting to talk about.” And strolling towards a cabinet, “Mr. Thurlow, come and introduce me to this charming little Billikin!”
§ 6
Sylvia had promised to go with Frank the next day to a luncheon in his rooms. She found herself looking forward with relief to meeting his “crowd.” “Oh, Frank,” she said, when they had set out together, “you’ve no idea how glad I am to see you. I have such a craving for something home-like. You can’t understand, perhaps——”
“Perhaps I can,” said Frank, smiling. “I can’t say that I’ve been in Boston society, but I’ve been on the outskirts.”