"Wasn't it just lovely ?" Her voice, restrained, yet warm with feeling, annoyed General Hobson.

He moved away, and as they hung over the taffrail he said, with suppressed venom to his companion: "Much good it did them to be 'made a nation'! Look at their press--look at their corruption--their divorce scandals!" Barnes laughed, and threw his cigarette-end into the swift brown water.
"Upon my word, Uncle Archie, I can't play up to you.

As far as I've gone, I like America and the Americans." "Which means, I suppose, that your mother gave you some introductions to rich people in New York, and they entertained you ?" said the General drily.
"Well, is there any crime in that?
I met a lot of uncommonly nice people." "And didn't particularly bless me when I wired to you to come here ?" The young man laughed again and paused a moment before replying.
"I'm always very glad to come and keep you company, Uncle Archie." The old General reddened a little.

Privately, he knew very well that his telegram summoning young Barnes from New York had been an act of tyranny--mild, elderly tyranny.

He was not amusing himself in Washington, where he was paying a second visit after an absence of twenty years.