"And now it's up to you to hurry and get to the University Club by
eight-thirty. You are to address the populace and two brass bands from
the northeast window at nine sharp--two extras out announcing it.
Everybody has been looking for you an hour, you old moon-spooner, you!"
urged Billy Bob.
"They can keep up the hunt--Phoebe and I are going--well, we are going
where nobody can find us for this evening anyway," answered David with
danger in his eyes.
"No!" said Phoebe as she slipped her hand into his, "I've had you as long
as is fair as it is. Won't you go and see them all? If you will I will
dress in a hurry and you can come by for me. Please!"
"Don't pull back on the leash, David," remarked Billy Bob. "It's just
beginning. Trot to heel and be happy." He laid his arm round Milly's
waist as he spoke and gave her a little squeeze.
And it was into the midst of a glorious round-up of a whole joyous
convention of friends that David Kildare stepped several hours later, a
resplendent and magnificent David with Phoebe glowing beside him. And,
too, it was not only his own high particulars that surged around him,
for Phoebe had fixed it with the board of governors and made out a very
careful list of every campaign friend he had made and had all the girls
at the phones for hours inviting each and every one. If at any time in
his political career David Kildare should lack the far vision Phoebe was
fully capable of taking a long sight for him.
So Mike O'Rourke was there, stuffed carefully into a rented dress suit
and was being attentioned to the point of combustion by Polly, who was
thus putting off a reckoning with young New England, promised for "after
the election." Freckles, the devil, was having the lark of his life in
removing hats and coats under the direction of an extremely dignified
club official.
There were men from the down-town district in plain business clothes who
stood in excited groups discussing the issues of the day. The head of the
cotton mills, who had voted every employee perfectly in line without
coercion, was expatiating largely to four old fellows in gray, for whom
Cap had succeeded in obtaining furloughs from the commandant out at the
Home and was keeping over night as his guests. They also were having the
lark of their young lives and were being overwhelmed by attentions from
all the Confederate Dames present.