Page:The Mystery of Central Park.djvu/114

108 Maggie gave him a startled, inquiring look, and poor Richard felt himself blush as he endeavored to swallow the mouthful of coffee-grains he got with the last of the coffee. Finding this unpleasant as well as impracticable, he disposed of them as best he could in his handkerchief and hastened to reassure her.

"I never, never drink coffee until after dinner," he said, earnestly, "and only broke my usual rule on this occasion because you made it."

He gave her a smile with this pretty speech; while it was not exactly what his pleased smiles usually were, it made Maggie blush with pleasure.

The spotted dog, having swallowed his food after the manner of people at railway stations, came rubbing and sniffling around Richard's knee in a very friendly spirit.

"Fine dog, sir, Fritz is," blind Gilbert said, hearing the dog's sounds. "Gettin' old,