CHAPTER XXVII
THE NEXT DAY
Miss Claire was down at brikfust brite and airly. I seen her setting at her plate—waiting for the family to appeer. Her eyes and cheeks wuz unnatshully brite.
Mr. John cam in first. He wint over to her chare and guv her a rell luving kiss.
“Go to your seet John” ses she “I’ve sumthing to show you.” Wid that she pushes over the paper to him and intercates a place wid her finger.
“Claire!” ses he starting oop “My dear girl,” ses he, “whot on airth doos this mane.”
Jist thin Mr. James cum in and Mr. Wolley close on his heels—Miss Claire picked up the paper and parsses it along gayly to Mr. James saying as she duss so:
“It’s only the enouncemint of me ingagement” ses she.
“The whot!” ses Mr. Wolley.
Mr. James’ face looked tired and haggard and his big eyes have lost there fighting look. He turned them orlmost sadly on his sister.
“Claire,” ses he, “you’re—you’re acting hastily,” ses he.
“Not at all,” ses she, smiling—over her cup of corfee. “I’ve nown Mr. Vandybilt iver since I wuz at Vassa. I niver told any of you aboot it—but—but—we’ve practically bin ingaged—fer yeers—thet is not formally.”
The family sed nothing and I wint to ansser the door as the bell wuz ringing furyissly. The widder cum in and wint widout being invited strate to the dining-room. She also has a paper in her hand and widout a word to the rest of the famly she pulled oop a chare and sat doon beside Miss Claire.
“Claire” ses she “I had just finished reeding a letter from Una Robbins when I chanced to glance at me paper. I saw the announcemint. Child, whot does it meen?”
“Why,” ses Miss Claire smiling brillyuntly—“Exackly whot it ses.”
The widder luked soospishus and thin she ses wid emfasis:
“Well I’ll not congratulate you. It’s a mistake—all rong,” ses she, “Oh deer! oh deer! Oh deer!”
She turned suddintly upon Mr. James.
“Jimmy,” ses she, “I notissed just now when I minshuned the name of Una Robbins that you winced a bit. Now look here boy” ses she “Una may be ingaged to Harry—and she may marry him too—but let me tell you” ses she, “a girl who’s ingaged to wan man and rites ten pages about anuther man to a frind is worth invistygating. Take my advice, Jimmy deer,” ses she “and go to Londoon town post haste. What are you doing Claire?” ses she, for the girl has gone to the desk in the hall and is marking the paper wid a red pencil. She rolled it oop and rote upon the cover, thin she wint over to her father—
“Papa!” ses she, “There’s my mail. Hurry it aff, won’t you,” ses she.