Page:Delight - de la Roche - 1926.djvu/93

 her time. He's all for edication, Charley is. He's got a good edication, himself. To be sure, I say to him sometimes—'Well, your learning hasn't made much of you.' But then he says—'Think what I might have been without it.' Nobody can dispute that; and, as teacher says, the only way we can overcome this impederment in Queenie's speech is by edication. Come, come, dearie, raise your head and let mammy put on your pretty hair ribbon."

"De poy puh my 'air," whined Queenie.

"Well, well, tell them you've a sore head this morning and they'll leave you be."

Queenie looked unconvinced but, with folded hands, resigned herself to her toilet.

When Annie came to the kitchen, Delight did not raise her eyes. Annie's coldness perturbed her. She preferred a quick-tempered girl like May who said what she thought and had it over. She was ravenously hungry. The cold meats and cake and coffee of the ball seemed distant memories. She took a piece of buttered toast from the plate that stood in the open oven, snatching bites as she wiped the dishes. The melted butter oozed through to the table, making a little oily square. "How delicious!" thought the girl. "I never had such good food in my life, and so much of it. I'll be getting fat. Now I smell bacon. How I wish I were a commercial, sitting in there at the best table, and Annie waiting on me! I'd keep her moving—'make it nippy,' I'd say. Blistered heel and all. I'd blister her."

The door softly opened and Edwin Silk entered. His cheeks were hollowed by weariness. He might have been in his bed sleeping soundly, but he could not rest because of his love for Pearl which made his lips red and his heavy eyes glisten. He came and stood by the table, resting his hands on it and staring into Pearl's face. His