have thought up during the night I want to ask you. I
mean
it,
really!
And why can’t we take that lawyer over with us? Then he can come back on the train, can’t he? I’m quite all ready to leave within a half hour.”
“Well, that’s great of you, of course, but I’m ashamed to put a strange lawyer upon you.”
“That’s silly. I’ll be glad to take him, too. There is plenty of room in my car. I’m having my baggage put in the trunk at the back right now, and I’ll meet you downtown wherever will be convenient for you, whenever you say.”
“All right, partner. Suppose I call the lawyer and let you know in half an hour what his reaction is. Will that be all right?”
“Quite all right,” said Laurel with a lilt in her voice. Of course it wasn’t going to be quite as pleasant with a strange lawyer along, but she wouldn’t let a little thing like that spoil her day.
So she called the house man and got him to carry her baggage down and put it in the trunk of her car, and she carried out her wraps and some small articles to stow in the pockets of the car. Then, just as she came into the house, the telephone rang again.
“Yes?” she answered eagerly.
“Well, it’s all right, Laurel. The lawyer can’t go until the noon train on account of an appointment with a man from Chicago this morning, but he’ll come over on the noon train by himself. He wants me to go on this morning and get some papers from the Carrollton bank before it closes at noon and have everything ready for him so he can get done and catch the four thirty back to the city. So, if you really are ready to start soon, suppose you meet me down in front of the new post office at nine. That will give me time to do an errand and get everything in shape, and we’ll have plenty of time to talk on the way back. Okay?”
“Okay!” said Laurel. “I’ll be there.”
She hung up the receiver and, turning, saw her cousin coming into the dining room in a pretty robe and smiled good morning.
“Oh, Laurel, my dear! So glad you’re back,” said the cousin. “I’m having some friends to dinner tonight, and I needed you so much I didn’t know what I was going to do without you.”
“But I’m not back, Cousin Carolyn. I just ran in to get a few things I needed, and then I’m going on. I was about to write you a little note and say good-bye. I’m going back to Carrollton, and I’m not sure just how long I shall be gone. It depends on circumstances, but I shall stay for the weekend, anyway, and perhaps longer. I’ll let you know.”
“Carrollton! Why, Laurel, that’s absurd! That little old dinky town! You’ll be missing so many worthwhile affairs. Did you have a lovely time at Adrian’s party last night? I was so sorry not to have been back to see you start off. I think it’s just ideal that Adrian is so attentive. I couldn’t have asked anything better for you. He is a darling! And that annual party of his at his hunt club is quite famous. I felt that your fortune was simply made when you got an invitation to that. Wasn’t it marvelous?”
“Why, I didn’t go to the party, Carolyn. I had trouble with my car and couldn’t get it repaired till it was too late.”
“You didn’t
go!
Why, how perfectly
dreadful!
How disastrous! Yes, that’s the right word, Laurel,
disastrous!
That party has been the talk of the social world ever since Adrian grew up. It’s always in the society column, and your name was listed among the guests. Why, how perfectly
awful!
couldn’t you come home on the train or a bus? And why on earth did you go way off on a day like that when you were invited to such an important party?”
“Oh, I didn’t know it was especially important, Carolyn. I really didn’t think much about it. I called up of course and explained to him.”
“But wasn’t he furious?”
“Why, he said he was sorry of course. And I said I was sorry I couldn’t get there.”
“But didn’t he offer to send someone after
mean
it,
really!
And why can’t we take that lawyer over with us? Then he can come back on the train, can’t he? I’m quite all ready to leave within a half hour.”
“Well, that’s great of you, of course, but I’m ashamed to put a strange lawyer upon you.”
“That’s silly. I’ll be glad to take him, too. There is plenty of room in my car. I’m having my baggage put in the trunk at the back right now, and I’ll meet you downtown wherever will be convenient for you, whenever you say.”
“All right, partner. Suppose I call the lawyer and let you know in half an hour what his reaction is. Will that be all right?”
“Quite all right,” said Laurel with a lilt in her voice. Of course it wasn’t going to be quite as pleasant with a strange lawyer along, but she wouldn’t let a little thing like that spoil her day.
So she called the house man and got him to carry her baggage down and put it in the trunk of her car, and she carried out her wraps and some small articles to stow in the pockets of the car. Then, just as she came into the house, the telephone rang again.
“Yes?” she answered eagerly.
“Well, it’s all right, Laurel. The lawyer can’t go until the noon train on account of an appointment with a man from Chicago this morning, but he’ll come over on the noon train by himself. He wants me to go on this morning and get some papers from the Carrollton bank before it closes at noon and have everything ready for him so he can get done and catch the four thirty back to the city. So, if you really are ready to start soon, suppose you meet me down in front of the new post office at nine. That will give me time to do an errand and get everything in shape, and we’ll have plenty of time to talk on the way back. Okay?”
“Okay!” said Laurel. “I’ll be there.”
She hung up the receiver and, turning, saw her cousin coming into the dining room in a pretty robe and smiled good morning.
“Oh, Laurel, my dear! So glad you’re back,” said the cousin. “I’m having some friends to dinner tonight, and I needed you so much I didn’t know what I was going to do without you.”
“But I’m not back, Cousin Carolyn. I just ran in to get a few things I needed, and then I’m going on. I was about to write you a little note and say good-bye. I’m going back to Carrollton, and I’m not sure just how long I shall be gone. It depends on circumstances, but I shall stay for the weekend, anyway, and perhaps longer. I’ll let you know.”
“Carrollton! Why, Laurel, that’s absurd! That little old dinky town! You’ll be missing so many worthwhile affairs. Did you have a lovely time at Adrian’s party last night? I was so sorry not to have been back to see you start off. I think it’s just ideal that Adrian is so attentive. I couldn’t have asked anything better for you. He is a darling! And that annual party of his at his hunt club is quite famous. I felt that your fortune was simply made when you got an invitation to that. Wasn’t it marvelous?”
“Why, I didn’t go to the party, Carolyn. I had trouble with my car and couldn’t get it repaired till it was too late.”
“You didn’t
go!
Why, how perfectly
dreadful!
How disastrous! Yes, that’s the right word, Laurel,
disastrous!
That party has been the talk of the social world ever since Adrian grew up. It’s always in the society column, and your name was listed among the guests. Why, how perfectly
awful!
couldn’t you come home on the train or a bus? And why on earth did you go way off on a day like that when you were invited to such an important party?”
“Oh, I didn’t know it was especially important, Carolyn. I really didn’t think much about it. I called up of course and explained to him.”
“But wasn’t he furious?”
“Why, he said he was sorry of course. And I said I was sorry I couldn’t get there.”
“But didn’t he offer to send someone after
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