After the fireworks the town went home. Sydney Schubert walked with
Sylvia, talking of other Fourth of July experiences in a tone from
which the restraint of the disappointed lover was wholly wanting.
David played sweetheart to Theodora, a rôle that had been developed by
long practice. It came to Judith, walking behind them with Lary and Dr.
Schubert, that David Trench was essentially a lover--and love must have
something to feed upon.
“Will we wait for Eileen?” he asked, when the feast had been prepared.
“They’ll be here any minute,” Sylvia cried flippantly. Then, in a voice
that echoed her mother’s objurgatory habit of speech: “For goodness’
sake, papa, stop worrying about that girl. She’s old enough to take
care of herself. Syd and I were traipsing all over the country when I
was her age, and I can’t remember that you sat up nights worrying about
me.”
“Young Marksley isn’t Sydney Schubert,” her father reminded her.