Page:Booth Tarkington - Alice Adams.djvu/79

 "Not if I haf to hear any more about me goin' to"

But his mother interrupted him with some asperity: "It seems very strange that you always object to going anywhere among our friends, Walter."

"Your friends!" he said, and, rising from his chair, gave utterance to an ironical laugh strictly monosyllabic. "Your friends!" he repeated, going to the door. "Oh, yes! Certainly! Good-night!"

And looking back over his shoulder to offer a final brief view of his derisive face, he took himself out of the room.

Alice gasped: "Mama"

"I'll stop him!" her mother responded, sharply; and hurried after the truant, catching him at the front door with his hat and raincoat on.

"Walter"

"Told you had a date down-town," he said, gruffly; and would have opened the door, but she caught his arm and detained him.

"Walter, please come back and finish your dinner. When I take all the trouble to cook it for you, I think you might at least"

"Now, now!" he said. "That isn't what you're