"After all
these months in those wonderful Eastern lands! I can almost catch the
odor of sandalwood about you!"
"It's dope," said Decker, with an easy laugh. "Chinese dope. I've had
these clothes cleaned twice, and I can't get rid of it. Had them on
one night in an opium den in Hankow. Funny how that smell stays with
you."
"An opium den?" repeated Mrs. Ivy, lifting a protesting hand. "And is
no effort being made to stamp out such iniquities in China? Might not
some concerted action on the part of the women's clubs in all the
Christian countries create a public sentiment against them?"
Decker bit his lip as he stooped to pick up the leaflet she had
dropped.
"Gerald's here I suppose?"
"Of course! How thoughtless of me not to explain that I always insist
upon the dear lad resting between four and five. He inherits delicate
lungs from his father, and an emotional, artistic temperament from me.
Then both of his maternal grandparents had heart trouble."
"Still hammers away at his music, I suppose?" Decker asked, minutely
inspecting the photograph of a meek-looking female who appeared
totally unable to live up to the bold, aggressive signature with which
she had signed herself.
Pages:
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199