" And I resolved to take my lawyers and search the whole
Manasquale transaction--to explore it from attic to underneath the cellar
flooring. "We'll go through it," said I, "like ferrets through a ship's
hold."
As I was finishing breakfast, Anita came in. She had evidently slept well,
and I regarded that as ominous. At her age, a crisis means little sleep
until a decision has been reached. I rose, but her manner warned me not to
advance and try to shake hands with her.
"I have asked Alva to stop with me here for a few days," she said formally.
"Alva!" said I, much surprised. She had not asked one of her own friends;
she had asked a girl she had met less than two days before, and that girl
my partner's daughter.
"She was here yesterday morning," Anita explained. And I now wondered how
much Alva there was in Anita's firm stand against her parents.
"Why don't you take her down to our place on Long Island?" said I, most
carefully concealing my delight--for Alva near her meant a friend of mine
and an advocate and example of real womanhood near her. "Everything's ready
for you there, and I'm going to be busy the next few days--busy day and
night."
She reflected. "Very well," she assented presently.
Pages:
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292