Tavernake saw those things in her face and his eyes spelt them out mercilessly.
"Father," she whispered, leaning towards him, "do you believe what you have just been saying to me ?" It was the professor's turn to be disturbed.

He concealed his discomfiture, however, with a gesture of annoyance.
"That is scarcely a proper question, Beatrice," he answered sharply.
"Ah," he added, with more geniality, "the cocktails! My young friend Tavernake, I drink to our better acquaintance! You are English, as I can see, a real Britisher.

Some day you must come out to our own great country--my daughter, of course, has told you that we are Americans.

A great country, sir,--the greatest I have ever lived in--room to breathe, room to grow, room for a young man like you to plant his ambitions and watch them blossom.

To our better acquaintance, Mr.Tavernake, and may we meet some day in the United States!" Tavernake drank the first cocktail in his life and wiped the tears from his eyes.