CHAPTERXV。
BUTMR。COURTLAND——AH，NEVERMIND！
Mr。AyrtonentertainedhisdaughterwithadescriptionofthesceneintheHouseincidentaltotheannihilationofMr。Apthomas。Heratherthoughthimselfthathiscounter-questionhadbeenneat。Hehadbeencongratulatedonitbyquiteanumberofhisfriendsinthetearoom，andsixmessageshadbeendeliveredtohimbyrepresentativesofthepresstotheeffectthatifhecouldprovidethemwiththeexacttextofhiscounter-questiontheywouldbegreatlyobliged。
“Theymeantoreportitinfull?“saidPhyllis。Shehadanampleexperienceofthedecimationofhisquestionsaswellasspeechesbythemembersofthepressgallery。Theyhadreducedittoascience。
“Iammuchmistakeniftheydon\'tcommentonitaswell，“saidherfather。“PoorApthomas！healonesatglumandmutewhileeveryonearoundhimwasconvulsed。”