Page:Tom Beauling (1901).pdf/20

 thing less than a bang. He could hear the lady in the study coughing.

The child, in imitation of the dusty mouse, began a procrastinating attack upon the figs.

cleared his throat.

"He is a manly little fellow," he said.

"Thank you," said the lady.

The judge seated himself tentatively on the edge of a chair, and waited for her to explain.

"I hated to have to come to you," she began.

"Since you have come," said the judge, tartly, "it will hardly be necessary to go into that."

"But you are so just," she began again. The judge acknowledged the compliment with an impatient but momentary contraction of the eyebrows.

"I couldn't go to my own sister," she said, "could I?"

"I don't know why you couldn't," said Judge Tyler.

"I simply couldn't," she said plain-