Rank
sat glowering while I fiddled with the tinder. Finally, to fill in the lull and
I think to take Rose down a peg or two, he spoke up.
“So,
Miss Calhoun, you are a Roman Catholic?”
“I
believe that is perfectly obvious,” she replied haughtily.
“Well,
I hope you realize that kind of flummery won’t fly at the Bureau, despite its superficial
air of hoodoo and hocus pocus. This is a governmental institution, not a
religious one. If you do hope to succeed here, it would perhaps be best
if you downplayed your affiliation.”
She
colored.
“If
you expect me to deny my faith just to get a job, you are sadly mistaken. I
think this place could very well use a dose of religion, and if what I’m told
about it is true …”
I was
able just then to straighten up and sing out cheerfully “There! I reckon that’s
gotten her going!” before the conversation could get any more heated. I closed
the stove door on the licking flames with a clang.
“Thank
goodness!” Rose hurried over and held her hands out to the stove and I followed
her example, standing elbow to elbow with her. Rank stayed where he was
sitting, looking at us stubbornly.
“Come
on over!” I gestured cheerfully.
The
older boy harrumphed.
“I’m
fine where I am.”
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