Lemoyne was displeased; he thought that Randolph was
taking advantage of his position as host to make an observation of
unwarranted saliency, and he frowned at his plate.
Cope flushed, and looked at his.
The talk drifted toward dramatics, with Winnebago once more the background;
but the foreground was occupied by a new musical comedy which one of the
clubs might try in another month, and the tone became more cheery. Sing-Lo,
who had come in with a maple mousse of his own making, smiled at last; and
he smiled still more widely when, at the end of the course, his chief
occidental masterpiece was praised. Sing-Lo also provided coffee and cigars
in the den; and it was here that Cope felt the atmosphere right for
venturing a word in behalf of Lemoyne. There had been few signs of
relenting in Winnebago; and some modest source of income would be welcome--
in fact, was almost necessary.
"Of course work _is_ increasing in the offices," said Randolph,
looking from one young man to the other; "and of course I have, directly or
indirectly, some slight 'influence.'"
He felt no promptings to lend Lemoyne a hand; yet Cope himself, even if out
of reach, might at least remain an object of continuing kindness.
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