“Oh, don’t you be afraid! It was the cold, heavy pastry that did it at Lull’s! There was no basket beggars to carry off the cold pie crusts and puddin’s, and me and the girls used to eat ’em all up at night to keep ’em from being wasted on. And I never heard of their hurting anybody but me, either. But don’t you be afraid. I shall eat nothing but the very best of nutericious and digesterable food, like stewed oysters and sich.” “Very well, Poley. Eat what you will, so it shall agree with you. And now don’t fail to invite your relations in my name as well as in your own to come to Wolfscliff to see you next summer.” “Thank you, ma’am, for reminding me again. Now I know you are in airnest and I’ll be sure to invite them.” “Why, Poley, I am always in earnest.” “To be sure, I know you are, ma’am, dear child,” answered Mrs. Pole, divided in her style of address, between her respect for her mistress and her tenderness of her pet. And then again she took leave and went out. Cleve came out and escorted Palma down to dinner, where the many and slow courses occupied them for more than an hour. At ten o’clock Poley punctually made her appearance, and ate a hearty supper of stewed oysters and brown stout with her nephew. At eleven o’clock the whole party retired to rest. CHAPTER XXIX TO THE MOUNTAIN FARM They rose early in the morning, breakfasted and drove down to Cortlandt Street ferry to take the boat for Jersey City. They caught the eight-thirty train in good time and without hurry. Stuart found their baggage all right, waiting for them, checked it to Washington, and then entered with his companions into the ladies’ car, and the express train started on its Southern flight. Their journey was quick, pleasant and uneventful. Early in the evening of that day they reached Washington. Leaving their trunks in the baggage room at the depot, and taking only their hand-bags, they went to one of the best hotels, where they dined and engaged rooms for the night and the next day. This was Palma’s first sight of the capital of her country, and Cleve determined to linger a few hours to show her the public buildings. The next morning Stuart engaged a hack and took his two companions for a long, circuitous drive, which should include visits to the White House, the State, War, Navy and Treasury Departments and the Capitol. But these visits were necessarily short. There was no time to pay their respects to the President in the Executive Mansion, or to listen to the debates in the Senate Chamber or in the House of Representatives, or to the cases in the Supreme Court. They had to get back to lunch and then to take the train for West Virginia. Two o’clock in the afternoon found them again seated in the cars and flying westward.