Prue did not appear below-stairs for so long that her father had lost
his magnificent running start by the time she sauntered in all sleek and
shiny and asked for her food. She brought a radiant grace into the dull
gray room; and Serina whispered to Will to let her have her breakfast
first.
She and Ollie waited on Prue, while the father paced the floor, stealing
sidelong glances at her, and wondering if it were possible that so sweet
a thing should be as vicious as she would have to be to tango.
When she had scoured her plate and licked her spoon with a child-like
charm her father began to crank up his throat for a tirade. He began
with the reluctant horror of a young attorney cross-examining his first
murderer:
"Prue--I want to--to--er--Prue, do you--did you--ever--This--er--this
tango business--Prue--have you--do you--er--What do you know about it?"
"Well, of course, papa, they change it so fast on you it's hard to keep
up with it, but I was about three days ahead of Chicago when I left
there. I met with a man who had just stepped off the twenty-hour train
and I learned all he knew before I turned him loose."