Page:Caroline Lockhart--The full of the Moon.djvu/38

 then, raising her smiling eyes to the landlord's expectant face, she replied:

"Galbraith—Miss Galbraith."

Mr. Poth promptly scraped one toe around the other heel in a low bow and said heartily:

"Proud to know you, ma'am, and welcome to our city!"

The landlord's ease and unexpected knowledge of social forms filled his guests with surprise and envy. Not content with his triumph, Mr. Poth waved a jeweled hand toward a gray-bearded, mild-looking man at the end of the long table and continued:

"I'll make you acquainted with 'Old Man' Fitzpatrick."

"Old Man" Fitzpatrick had just bitten off a sizable piece of bread, and there was one agonized second in which he was undecided whether to remove it or to risk strangulation and swallow it whole.

There was a general feeling of relief when he compromised by thrusting it into his cheek, where, though protruding like a squirrel's pouch, it enabled him to articulate.

"How air you?" he inquired affably while