On the stair he met Betty, who looked at him with pleading eyes, but fled,
affrighted, before the colour of his wrath; and in his library he found
Champe reading his favourite volume of Mr. Addison.
"I hope you aren't scratching up my books, sir," he observed, eying the
pencil in his great-nephew's hand.
Champe looked at him with his cool glance, and rose leisurely to his feet.
"Why, I'd as soon think of scrawling over Aunt Emmeline's window pane," he
returned pleasantly, and added, "I hope you had a successful trip, sir."
"I got a lukewarm supper and a cold breakfast," replied the Major
irritably, "and I heard that the Marines had those Kansas raiders entrapped
like rats in the arsenal, if that is what you mean."
"No, I wasn't thinking of that," replied Champe, as quietly as before. "I
came home to find out about Dan, you know, and I hoped you went into town
to look him up."
"Well, I didn't, sir," declared the Major, "and as for that scamp--I have
as much knowledge of his whereabouts as I care for.--Do you know, sir," he
broke out fiercely, "that he has taken to driving a common stage?"
Champe was sharpening his pencil, and he did not look up as he answered.
"Then the sooner he leaves off the better, eh, sir?" he inquired.
"Oh, there's your everlasting wrangling!" exclaimed the Major with a
hopeless gesture. "You catch it from Molly, I reckon, and between you,
you'll drive me into dotage yet.
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