Page:A strange, sad comedy (IA strangesadcomedy00seawiala).pdf/198

186 "How d' ye do, Corbin?" said Mr. Romaine, entering with a very jaunty air.

"Good-day, Mr. Romaine," answered the Colonel, sternly—and then suddenly and unexpectedly falling into his habitual tone, he continued, grandiloquently:

"Has your horse been put up, and may we have the satisfaction of entertaining you at dinner?"

"Oh, Lord, no," answered Mr. Romaine, smiling; "I merely came over to see how you and Miss Corbin were coming on—and to ask you a most absurd question."

"My granddaughter is coming on very well. For myself, at my time of life—and yours, too, I may say—there is but one thing to do—which constitutes coming on well—and that is to prepare for the ferriage over the dark river."

"I do not anticipate needing the services of the ferryman for a good while yet, and my heirs, I apprehend, will have a long wait for their inheritance," snapped Mr. Romaine, who was always put in a bad humor by any allusion to his age. Colonel Corbin, though, could not stand Mr. Romaine's hasty allusion to his heirs, and without saying a word, turned