Great boy, that Luttrell!
But to return to the girls: If you have told Phyllis, I shall have to
keep her in solitary confinement until it is finished. Miss Roxanne, I
know, can be trusted at large."
I knew Father was just joking, by the eyelid and the corner of his
mouth, but the Idol drew himself up according to the old portrait
again before he spoke.
"Mr. Forsythe" he said, "I haven't any secret that Phyllis can't know.
If she accidentally gave this one away to Rogers--she can the next,
_and_ the next." He took my hand again and drew me close to him.
To think that that wonderful Idol should feel like that about
insignificant me!
And father looked as impressed as he ought to have been, and begged my
pardon in the proper manner; only I saw the bat in his eyes that
showed how amused he was.
"Well," he said slowly, "Phyllis is a dangerous person to tell secrets
to, or even to live an ordinary life before. Her penetration is so
keen that she sees a man in his true character--and gets a thousand
dollars from him for her estimate of his personality. I am glad to buy
the opinion of me that you sent your cousin Gilmore at a thousand
dollars, Phyllis,--it is worth more than that to me--from you!" His
eyes were very tender to me though then, laughing: "Want to see
yourself as she sees you in this thousand-dollar book I'm going to
have printed, Byrd?" he asked teasingly.
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