Page:The Author of Beltraffio, Pandora, Georgina's Reasons, The Path of Duty, Four Meetings (Boston, James R. Osgood & Co., 1885).djvu/131

Rh mind, and he saw that it was quite in Pandora's line to be mistress of the situation, for there was nothing, evidently, on the present occasion, that could call itself her master. He drank his tea, and as he put down his cup he heard the President, behind him, say: "Well, I guess my wife will wonder why I don't come home."

"Why did n't you bring her with you?" Pandora asked.

"Well, she does n't go out much. Then she has got her sister staying with her,—Mrs. Runkle, from Natchez. She's a good deal of an invalid, and my wife doesn't like to leave her."

"She must be a very kind woman," Pandora remarked, sympathetically.

"Well, I guess she is n't spoiled—yet."

"I should like very much to come and see her," said Pandora.

"Do come round. Could n't you come some night?" the President responded.

"Well, I 'll come some time. And I shall remind you of your promise."

"All right. There's nothing like keeping it up. Well," said the President, "I must bid good-by to these folks."

Vogelstein heard him rise from the sofa, with his companion, and he gave the pair time to pass out of the room before him, which they did with a certain impressive deliberation, people making way for the ruler of fifty millions, and looking with a certain