PIKE [with cheerful absent-mindedness—­working].  Yes, sir!

HORACE [continuing].  To her fiance’s aunt, Lady Creech—­

PIKE.  Yes, sir! the whole possetucky of them. [Singing softly.] “She was my hanky-panky-danky from the town of Kalamazack!” Yes, sir—­that French lady, too.

[He throws a quick, keen glance at HORACE, then instantly appears absorbed in work again, singing,]

“She ran away with a circus clown—­she never did come back—­Oh, Solomon Levi!”

[Continues to whistle the tune softly.]

HORACE.  And she introduced you to her fiance—­to Mr. St. Aubyn himself.

PIKE [looking up, monkey-wrench in hand].  Yes, sir [chuckles]; we had quite a talk about shootin’ in Indiana; said he’d heard of Peru, in his school history.  Wanted to come out some day, he said, and asked what our best game was.  I told him we had some Incas still preserved in the mountains of Indiana, and he said he’d like a good Inca head to put up in his gun-room.  He ought to get one, oughtn’t he?

[Starts to work again, busily.]

HORACE [indignantly].  My sister informs me that in spite of Lord Hawcastle’s most graciously offering to discuss her engagement with you, you refused.

PIKE.  Well, I didn’t see any need of it.

HORACE.  Furthermore, you allege that you will decline to go into the matter with Lord Hawcastle’s solicitor.

PIKE.  What matter?

HORACE [angrily].  The matter of the settlement.

PIKE [quietly].  Your sister kind of let it out to me awhile ago that you think a good deal of this French widow lady.  Suppose you make up your mind to take her for richer or poorer—­what’s she going to give you?

HORACE [roaring].  Nothing!  What do you mean?

PIKE.  Well, I thought you’d probably charge her [with a slight drawl] a little, anyhow.  Ain’t that the way over here?

[Turns to work again, humming “Dolly Gray.”]

HORACE.  It is impossible for you to understand the motives of my sister and myself in our struggle not to remain in the vulgar herd.  But can’t you try to comprehend that there is an Old-World society, based not on wealth, but on that indescribable something which comes of ancient lineage and high birth? [With great indignation.] You presume to interfere between us and the fine flower of Europe!

PIKE [straightening up, but speaking quietly].  Well, I don’t know as the folks around Kokomo would ever have spoke of your father as a “fine flower,” but we thought a heap of him, and when he married your ma he was so glad to get her—­well, I never heard yet that he asked for any settlement!

HORACE.  You are quite impossible.

PIKE.  The fact is, when she took him he was a poor man; but if he’d a had seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, I’ll bet he’d ‘a’ given it for her.