the spick-and-spanishness after the house-cleaning, and the
flowers out in the parlour--'living-room' I suppose you want me
to call it, if I just GOT to be fashionable--I been so busy
studying over all this so-and-so, I declare I never noticed YOU
till this minute! My, but you ARE all dressed up! What's goin'
on? What's it about: you so all dressed up, and flowers in the
parlour and everything?"

"Don't you see, papa? It's in honour of your coming downstairs
again, of course."

"Oh, so that's it," he said. "I never would 'a' thought of that,
I guess."

But Walter looked sidelong at his father, and gave forth his sly
and knowing laugh. "Neither would I!" he said.

Adams lifted his eyebrows jocosely. "You're jealous, are you,
sonny? You don't want the old man to think our young lady'd make
so much fuss over him, do you?"

"Go on thinkin' it's over you," Walter retorted, amused. "Go on
and think it. It'll do you good."

"Of course I'll think it," Adams said. "It isn't anybody's
birthday. Certainly the decorations are on account of me coming
downstairs. Didn't you hear Alice say so?"

"Sure, I heard her say so."