Well, he added, after a moment, theyre spreading out faster than I would if I had their business. Theyre not the richest people in the world, either. Just the same he was thinking that, unlike himself and his parents, the Cranstons were really more daring if not socially more avid of life. He envied them.
And whats more, added Bella interestedly, the Finchleys are to have a dance floor over the boathouse. And Sondra says that Stuart was hoping that you would come up there and spend a lot of time this summer.
Oh, did he? replied Gilbert, a little enviously and sarcastically. You mean he said he was hoping you would come up and spend a lot of time. Ill be working this summer.
He didnt say anything of the kind, smarty. Besides it wouldnt hurt us any if we did go up there. Theres nothing much out at Greenwood any more that I can see. A lot of old hen parties.
Is that so? Mother would like to hear that.
And youll tell her, of course
Oh, no, I wont either. But I dont think were going to follow the Finchleys or the Cranstons up to Twelfth Lake just yet, either. You can go up there if you want, if Dadll let you.
Just then the lower door clicked again, and Bella, forgetting her quarrel with her brother, ran down to greet her father.
Chapter 2
The head of the Lycurgus branch of the Griffiths, as contrasted with the father of the Kansas City family, was most arresting. Unlike his shorter and more confused brother of the Door of Hope, whom he had not even seen for thirty years, he was a little above the average in height, very well-knit, although comparatively slender, shrewd of eye, and incisive both as to manner and speech. Long used to contending for himself, and having come by effort as well as results to know that he was above the average in acumen and commercial ability, he was inclined at times to be a bit intolerant of those who were not. He was not ungenerous or unpleasant in manner, but always striving to maintain a calm and judicial air. And he told himself by way of excuse for his mannerisms that he was merely accepting himself at the value that others placed upon him and all those who, like himself, were successful.
Having arrived in Lycurgus about twenty-five years before with some capital and a determination to invest in a new collar enterprise which had been proposed to him, he had succeeded thereafter beyond his wildest expectations. And naturally he was vain about it. His family at this time twenty-five years later unquestionably occupied one of the best, as well as the most tastefully constructed residences in Lycurgus. They were also esteemed as among the few best families of this region being, if not the oldest, at least among the most conservative, respectable and successful in Lycurgus. His two younger children, if not the eldest, were much to the front socially in the younger and gayer set and so far nothing had happened to weaken or darken his prestige.
On returning from Chicago on this particular day, after having concluded several agreements there which spelled trade harmony and prosperity for at least one year, he was inclined to feel very much at ease and on good terms with the world. Nothing had occurred to mar his trip. In his absence the Griffiths Collar and Shirt Company had gone on as though he had been present. Trade orders at the moment were large.
Now as he entered his own door he threw down a heavy bag and fashionably made coat and turned to see what he rather expected Bella hurrying toward him. Indeed she was his pet, the most pleasing and different and artistic thing, as he saw it, that all his years had brought to him youth, health, gayety, intelligence and affection all in the shape of a pretty daughter.
Oh, Daddy, she called most sweetly and enticingly as she saw him enter. Is that you?
Yes. At least it feels a little like me at the present moment. Hows my baby girl? And he opened his arms and received the bounding form of his last born. Theres a good, strong, healthy girl, Ill say, he announced as he withdrew his affectionate lips from hers. And hows the bad girl been behaving herself since I left? No fibbing this time.
Oh, just fine, Daddy. You can ask any one. I couldnt be better.
And your mother?
Shes all right, Daddy. Shes up in her room. I dont think she heard you come in.
And Myra? Is she back from Albany yet?
Yes. Shes in her room. I heard her playing just now. I just got in myself a little while ago.
Ay, hai. Gadding about again. I know you. He held up a genial forefinger, warningly, while Bella swung onto one of his arms and kept pace with him up the stairs to the floor above.
Oh, no, I wasnt either, now, she cooed shrewdly and sweetly. Just see how you pick on me, Daddy. I was only over with Sondra for a little while. And what do you think, Daddy? Theyre going to give up the place at Greenwood and build a big handsome bungalow up on Twelfth Lake right away. And Mr. Finchleys going to buy a big electric launch for Stuart and theyre going to live up there next summer, maybe all the time, from May until October. And so are the Cranstons, maybe.
Mr. Griffiths, long used to his younger daughters wiles, was interested at the moment not so much by the thought that she wished to convey that Twelfth Lake was more desirable, socially than Greenwood as he was by the fact that the Finchleys were able to make this sudden and rather heavy expenditure for social reasons only.
Instead of answering Bella he went on upstairs and into his wifes room. He kissed Mrs. Griffiths, looked in upon Myra, who came to the door to embrace him, and spoke of the successful nature of the trip. One could see by the way he embraced his wife that there was an agreeable understanding between them no disharmony by the way he greeted Myra that if he did not exactly sympathize with her temperament and point of view, at least he included her within the largess of his affection.
As they were talking Mrs. Truesdale announced that dinner was ready, and Gilbert, having completed his toilet, now entered.
I say, Dad, he called, I have an interesting thing I want to see you about in the morning. Can I?
All right, Ill be there. Come in about noon.
Come on all, or the dinner will be getting cold, admonished Mrs. Griffiths earnestly, and forthwith Gilbert turned and went down, followed by Griffiths, who still had Bella on his arm. And after him came Mrs. Griffiths and Myra, who now emerged from her room and joined them.
Once seated at the table, the family forthwith began discussing topics of current local interest. For Bella, who was the familys chief source of gossip, gathering the most of it from the Snedeker School, through which all the social news appeared to percolate most swiftly, suddenly announced: What do you think, Mamma? Rosetta Nicholson, that niece of Mrs. Disston Nicholson, who was over here last summer from Albany you know, she came over the night of the Alumnae Garden Party on our lawn you remember the young girl with the yellow hair and squinty blue eyes her father owns that big wholesale grocery over there well, shes engaged to that Herbert Tickham of Utica, who was visiting Mrs. Lambert last summer. You dont remember him, but I do. He was tall and dark and sorta awkward, and awfully pale, but very handsome oh, a regular movie hero.
There you go, Mrs. Griffiths, interjected Gilbert shrewdly and cynically to his mother. A delegation from the Misses Snedekers Select School sneaks off to the movies to brush up on heroes from time to time.