Page:The Breath of Scandal (1922).djvu/181

 the young woman who sat at the table opposite him. In her office, she had done the dozen little things, no one of which a man can discern but which all together freshen a woman and make her younger; and perhaps part of her transformation was that, when she sat down, she ceased the assumption that she was older than Gregg; but she did not depart a jot from her principle of independence.

"We will have two checks," she said to the waiter, as she took one of the menus and, without consulting Gregg, ordered chicken, cocoa and a salad. He ordered a chop and coffee, started to ask her, "That's all you really want?" but remembered in time and laid down the menu and smiled.

"How's business?" he asked her, as the waiter vanished.

"You have to go get it," she said. "But I'm ahead of last year, even on new business. How's yours?"

"Rotten, recently," Gregg admitted heartily. "I guess I'm not a go-getter."

"Your business is different from mine; when people feel insecure, they can be sold more insurance; but ice-machines require investment outlays that people are putting off just now."

Mr. Hale told her about me, Gregg thought; and the image of Marjorie's father having discussed with her Marjorie's friends—discussed Marjorie, likely, and his wife—gave Gregg an unwelcome reaction. Mrs. Russell observed it and immediately and with entire coolness informed him that she comprehended it.

"You will not have to tell me much about the persons concerned, Mr. Mowbry," she said, bringing him directly to the matter for which, she knew, he had sought her. "Nor about how they have been affected.