"Well, upon my word," said the colonel, "I might as well be reading about Donnacona myself, for any comfort I get."
"O Dick, I forgot. I was just looking. Now I'm really going to commence."
"No, not yet," cried Mrs. Ellison, rising on her elbow. "Where is Mr. Arbuton?"
"What has he to do with Donnacona, my dear?"
"Everything. You know he's stayed on our account, and I never heard of anything so impolite, so inhospitable, as offering to read without him. Go and call him, Richard, do."
"O, no," pleaded Kitty, "he won't care about it. Don't call him, Dick."
"Why, Kitty, I'm surprised at you! When you read so beautifully! Yon needn't be ashamed, I'm sure."
"I'm not ashamed; but, at the same time, I don't want to read to him."
"Well, call him any way, colonel. He's in his room."
"If you do," said Kitty, with superfluous dignity, "I must go away."