Page:The Father Confessor, Stories of Danger and Death.djvu/293

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WALTER BARRINGTON
283

called three times, then he sauntered over looking bored.

"What is it?" he demanded, looking me up and down.

"I only want to introduce you to this gentleman; he has got a little girl here for you to dance with."

"But I don't want to dance with his little girl," Bobby cried, dragging himself from his father's hands. "Do let me go. You always worry so!"

"He is very shy," the father said; "poor little chap!"

But he did not attempt to retain his son. I saw Bobby a few minutes after counting with his eyes the dishes upon the supper-table, which he intended to raid as soon as he got an opportunity.

The little dull man and I continued a disjointed conversation for the rest of the evening. I found he lived in the next house to my own.

"I have often seen you passing," he said.

I wondered if I had ever seen him; but realized that if I had I must have passed him unnoticed—the little grey, insignificant man.