With startling rapidity Penrod, standing just outside the storeroom door, extended his arm within the room, deposited the licorice water upon the counter of the drug store, seized in its stead the bottle of smallpox medicine, and extended it cordially toward the advancing Maurice.
Genius is like that--great, simple, broad strokes! Dazzled, Mr.Samuel Williams leaned against the wall.

He had the sensations of one who comes suddenly into the presence of a chef-d'oeuvre.

Perhaps his first coherent thought was that almost universal one on such huge occasions: "Why couldn't _I_ have done that!" Sam might have been even more dazzled had he guessed that he figured not altogether as a spectator in the sweeping and magnificent conception of the new Talleyrand.

Sam had no partner for the cotillon.

If Maurice was to be absent from that festivity--as it began to seem he might be--Penrod needed a male friend to take care of Miss Rennsdale and he believed he saw his way to compel Mr.Williams to be that male friend.
For this he relied largely upon the prospective conduct of Miss Rennsdale when he should get the matter before her--he was inclined to believe she would favour the exchange.