Page:Booth Tarkington - Alice Adams.djvu/76

 worry about that! And with all these lovely violets"

"I wonder" Alice began, paused, then went on, fragmentarily: "I suppose—well, I wonder—do you suppose it would have been better policy to have told Walter before"

"No," said her mother. "It would only have given him longer to grumble."

"But he might"

"Don't worry," Mrs. Adams reassured her. "He'll be a little cross, but he won't be stubborn; just let me talk to him and don't you say anything at all, no matter what he says."

These references to Walter concerned some necessary manuvres which took place at dinner, and were conducted by the mother, Alice having accepted her advice to sit in silence. Mrs. Adams began by laughing cheerfully. "I wonder how much longer it took me to cook this dinner than it does Walter to eat it?" she said. "Don't gobble, child! There's no hurry."

In contact with his own family Walter was no squanderer of words. "Is for me," he said. "Got date."

"I know you have, but there's plenty of time."