"Well? Well?" prompted Jack. "Won't she do?"
"And don't you think, when mother sees her, she'll say the same?"
"I'm sure--I'm sure--" her choking voice could get out no more.
"Oh, but I shall be so afraid!" cried Mary, again with that shivery little laugh.
"Nothing to be afraid of, Mary. Mother's really a good sort."
"Jack! To call one's mother a 'good sort'!"
"Why not? She's bug-house on this social position business, but aside from that she's perfectly human."
"Jack!" in her scandalized tone. "Isn't he awful Matilda?"
"Don't call me 'ma'am,' Matilda. Since we're to be together constantly this summer, call me Mary."
"That's right, Matilda," put in Jack. "We're going to run this place as a democracy. You're to have all your meals with us."
"And I'll help you get them!" Mary cried excitedly. "You'll find me tagging around after you most of the time. For, think of it, you're the only woman I'm going to see in months!"
"Jack, you run along, there's a dear," commanded Mary, "and unpack your things. Matilda and I want to have a little chat."
"Married six hours, and bossed already," grumbled Jack happily. "All right. But that bit of a squab I ate was nothing. I'm starved. I'll be back in five minutes and then we'll get a real supper down in the kitchen."
Jack picked up his bag. Frantically Mrs. De Peyster tried to think of some way of holding him back from a possible damnatory encounter with Matilda upon the stairway. But she could think of nothing. Jack went out.
Mary ordered Mrs. De Peyster into a chair, and sat down facing her.
Mrs. De Peyster strained her ears for the surprised voices that would announce the disastrous meeting. But there sounded from above no startled cries. Jack must have got to his room, unnoticed by Matilda. Mrs. De Peyster breathed just a little easier. The evil moment was put off.
"Matilda," began Mary, "I want you to tell me the honest truth about something. I think Jack's been trying to deceive me. To make me feel better, the dear boy, he's been telling me there'd not be the least doubt about his mother being reconciled to our marriage. Do you think she ever will be?"
"I hope she will, for Jack's sake!" sighed Mary deeply. She picked up an evening paper Jack had brought in. "Did you know his mother was very ill at the time she sailed? This paper says she was so sick that she was unable to see a single one of her friends who came to see her off. That was too bad, wasn't it!" There was a great deal of genuine feeling in the voice of the small person.