for comin' to tell you."

William left no doubt in Jane's mind about his attitude in reference
to the whole matter. His refusal was direct and infuriated, but, in the
midst of a multitude of plain statements which he was making, there
was a decisive tapping upon the door at a point higher than Jane could
reach, and his mother's voice interrupted:

"Hush, Willie! Open the door, please."

He obeyed furiously, and Mrs. Baxter walked in with a deprecating air,
while Jane followed, so profoundly interested that, until almost the
close of the interview, she held her bread-and-butter and apple sauce
and sugar at a sort of way-station on its journey to her mouth.

"That's a nice thing to ask me to do!" stormed the unfortunate William.
"Ye gods! Do you think Joe Bullitt's mother would dare to--"

"Wait, dearie!" Mrs. Baxter begged, pacifically. "I just want to
explain--"

"'Explain'! Ye gods!"

"Now, now, just a minute, Willie!" she said. "What I wanted to explain
was why it's necessary for you to go with Genesis for the--"

"Never!" he shouted. "Never! You expect me to walk through the public
streets with that awful-lookin' old nigger--"

"Genesis isn't old," she managed to interpolate. "He--"