CHAPTER VII.
Larry was still gazing at where Maggie had stood, flashing her defiance at him, when Hunt came thumping down the stairway.
"Hello, young fellow; what you been doing to Maggie ?" demanded the painter.
"Why ?" "Her door was open when I came by and I called to her.

She didn't answer, but, oh, what a look! What's in the air ?" And then Hunt noted the Duchess apart in her corner.

"I say, Duchess--what were Larry and Maggie rowing about ?" "Grandmother!" Larry exclaimed with a start.

"I'd forgotten you were here! You must have heard it all--go ahead and tell him." "Tell him yourself," returned the Duchess.
Larry and Hunt took chairs, and Larry gave the gist of what he had said about his decision to Barney and Old Jimmie and Maggie.

The Duchess, still motionless at her desk as she had been all during Larry's scene with Old Jimmie and Barney, and then his scene with Maggie, regarded her grandson with that emotionless, mummified face in which only the red-margined eyes showed life or interest.
"So you're going to go straight, eh ?" queried Hunt.