The boy’s bad eyelid flopped again.
“Until it’s gone, Aunt Grace,” he chaffed. “Happy days!”
“If I had my way, young man, you’d land in reform school. Get out!”
Gracia Theddon whirled, however, at sound of a voice from the door.
“You’re not sending him away on my account, are you, mother dear? I’m sure he didn’t mean anything. He couldn’t find you and was looking for the maid. And besides, I should have locked my door.”
“You should have done nothing of the sort,” Mrs. Theddon replied angrily. “He had no right to enter a girl’s room——”
“Introduce us, Aunt Grace. I thought I’d met the family.”
Gracia Theddon waged a quick battle with her temper.
She introduced the two,—stiffly.
“I’m sorry I was rude,” the boy said awkwardly a moment later. “But, you see, everybody goes on the idea that I’m a roughneck and a low-brow and I—I—well, I’ve got to live up to my reputation.” He shot a challenge at his aunt.