'Th' Club,' said Dan.
And in about a hundred seconds or so he had her in the drawing-
room, and she was actually pouring out gin for him. She looked
ravishing in that peignoir, especially as she was munching an
apple, and balancing herself on the arm of a chair.
'So he's been quarrelling with ye, Maud?' Dan began.
'No; not quarrelling, uncle.'
'Well, call it what ye'n a mind,' said Dan. 'Call it a prayer-
meeting. I didn't notice as ye came down for supper--dinner, as ye
call it.'
'It was like this, uncle,' she said. 'Poor Harry was very angry
with himself about that petrol. Of course, he wanted the car to go
well while you were in it; and he came up-stairs and grumbled at
me for leaving him all alone and driving home with you.'
'Oh, did he?' exclaimed Dan.
'Yes. I explained to him that of course I couldn't leave you all
alone. Then he got hot. I kept quite calm. I reasoned it out with
him as quietly as I could--'
'Maudie, Maudie,' protested the old man, 'thou'rt th' prettiest
wench i' this town, though I AM thy great-uncle, and thou'st got
plenty o' brains--a sight more than that husband o' thine.'
'Do you think so, uncle?'
'Aye, but thou hasna' made use o' 'em tonight. Thou'rt a foolish
wench, wench. At thy time o' life, and after a year o' th' married
state, thou ought'st to know better than reason wi' a man in a
temper.
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