He is beside himself with rage. My friends have
already come in for severe criticism. He blames them for permitting
his daughter to run at large and to pick up with every Tom, Dick and
Harry. Dear me, I shudder when I think of what he will do to you, Mrs.
Gaston. He will take off your head completely. But never fear, you old
dear, I will see that it is put on again as neatly as ever. So, you
see, Mr. Schmidt, you now belong to that frightful order of nobodies,
the Toms and the Dicks and the Harrys."
"I see that there is a newspaper clipping attached," he remarked.
"Perhaps your father has been saying something to the newspapers." It
was a mean speech and he regretted it instantly.
She was not offended, however. Indeed, she may not have heard what he
said, for she was reading the little slip of printed matter. Suddenly
she tore it into tiny bits and scattered them under the table. Her
cheeks were red and her eyes glistened unmistakably with
mortification. He was never to know what was in that newspaper
cutting, but he was conscious of a sharp sensation of anger and pity
combined.
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