wdness,orbyanenergeticnodwhichmeantthatthedifficultywasnothingtohim.
"You'requiteright,"hesaidatlast"onehastolookuponthesethingsfromthepointofviewofthemanoftheworld."
"Weknewyou'dbeabletohelpus,"saidColonelParsons.
"Ofcourse!Ishallsettlethewholethinginfiveminutes.Youleaveittome."
"Itoldyouhewould,Frances,"criedtheColonel,withahappysmile."YouthinkthatJamesoughttomarrythegirl,don'tyou?"
"Certainly.Whateverhisfeelingsare,hemustactasagentlemanandanofficer.Justyouletmetalkitoverwithhim.HehasgreatrespectforallIsayI'venoticedthatalready."
Mrs.Parsonslookedatherbrotherdoubtfully.
"Wehaven'tknownwhattodo,"shemurmured."We'veprayedforguidance,haven'twe,Richmond?We'reanxiousnottobehardontheboy,butwemustbejust."
"Leaveittome,"repeatedUncleWilliam."I'mamanoftheworld,andI'mthoroughlyathomeinmattersofthissort."
Accordingtothelittleplanwhich,inhissubtlety,MajorForsythhadsuggested,Mrs.Parsons,soonafterdinner,fetchedthebackgammonboard.
"Shallwehaveourusualgame,Richmond?"
ColonelParsonslookedsignificantlyathisbrother-in-law.
"IfWilliamdoesn'tmind?"
"No,no,ofcoursenot!I'llhavealittlechatwithJamie."
Theplayerssatdownatthecornerofthetable,andrathernervouslybegantosetoutthemen.Jamesstoodbythewindow,silentasever,lookingatthedaythatwasa-dying,withamilk-blueskyandtenuousclouds,copperandgold.MajorForsythtookachairoppositehim,andpulledhismoustache.
"Well,Jamie,myboy,whatisallthisnonsenseIhearaboutyouandMaryClibborn?"
ColonelParsonsstartedattheexpectedquestion,andstoleahurriedlookathisson.Hiswifenoisilyshookthedice-boxandthrewthediceontheboard.
"Nine!"shesaid.
Jamesturnedtolookathisuncle,notingalittlecontemptuouslythechangeofhiscostume,anditsextravagantjuvenility.
"Alotofstuffandnonsense,isn'tit?"
"D'youthinkso?"askedJames,wearily."We'vebeentakingitveryseriously."
"You'reasetofoldfogiesdownhere.Youwantamanoftheworldtosetthingsright."
"Ah,well,you'reamanoftheworld,UncleWilliam,"repliedJames,smilin