Duff Salter was sitting at his writing table, with an open snuff-box
before him, and, as Calvin Van de Lear entered his room, Duff took a
large pinch of snuff and shoved the tablets forward. Calvin wrote on
them a short sentence. As Duff Salter read it he started to his feet and
sneezed with tremendous energy:
"Jeri-cho! Jericho! Jerry-cho-o-o!"
He read the sentence again, and whispered very low:
"Can't you be mistaken?"
"As sure as you sit there!" wrote Calvin Van de Lear.
"What is your inference?" wrote Duff Salter.
"Seduction!"
The two men looked at each other silently a few minutes, Duff Salter in
profound astonishment, Calvin Van de Lear with an impudent smile.
"And so religious!" wrote Duff Salter.
"That is always incidental to the condition," answered Calvin.
"It must be a great blow to your affection?"
"Not at all," scrawled the minister's son. "It gives me a sure thing."
"Explain that!"
"I will throw the marriage mantle over her. She will need me now!"
"But you would not take a wife out of such a situation?"
"Oh! yes. She will be as handsome as ever, and only half as proud."
Duff Salter walked up and down the floor and stroked his long beard, and
his usually benevolent expression was now dark and ominous, as if with
gloom and anger.
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