FullReads

She stopped at the caterer’s for a brief but satisfactory interview. The caterer was an artist, but his enthusiasms this morning were wasted upon Susanna.

“Yes, yes–cucumber sandwiches by all means,” she assented hastily, “and the ices–just as you like! Plain, I think–or did you say in cases? I don’t care. Only don’t fail me, Mr. Ludovici.”

Fail her? Mr. Ludovici’s lexicon did not know the word. Susanna breathed more freely as she crossed the sunny village street to the train.

The station platform was deserted and bare. Susanna, accustomed to a breathless late arrival, could saunter with delightful leisure to the ticket-seller’s window.

“You’ve not forgotten the new time-table?” said the agent, pleasantly, when they had exchanged greetings.

“Oh, does the change begin to-day?” Susanna looked blank.

“October sixteenth, winter schedule,” he reminded her buoyantly. “Going to be lots of engagements missed to-day!”

“But mine is very important and I cannot miss it,” said Susanna, displeased at his levity. “I MUST be in Mr. Fairfax’s office at eleven.”

“You won’t be more than ten or twelve minutes late,” said young Mr. Green, consolingly. “You tell Mr. Fairfax it’s up to the N.Y. and E.W.”

Susanna smiled perfunctorily, but took her place in the train with a sinking heart. She would be late, of course, and Jim would be angry, of course. Late to-day, when every minute counted and the programme allowed for not an instant’s delay! Her eyes on the flying countryside, she rehearsed her part, found herself eloquently explaining to a pacified Jim, capturing a gracious Mrs. Thayer, successfully reaching home again, and explaining to an entirely amiable bridge club.

It could be done, of course, but it meant a pretty full day! Susanna’s mind reverted uneasily to the consideration that she had already bungled matters. Oh, well, if she was late, she was late, that was all; and if Jim was furious, why, Jim would simply have to be furious! And she began her explanations again–

After all, it was but fifteen minutes past eleven when she walked into her husband’s office. But neither Jim nor Mrs. Thayer was there.

“Mr. Fairfax went out not three minutes ago,” said the pretty stenographer in the outer office. Susanna, brought to a full stop, stared at her blankly.

“Went out!”

“Yes, with Mrs. Thayer to the dentist. He said to say he was afraid you had missed your train. There’s a note.”

The note was forthwith produced. Susanna read it frowningly. It was rather conspicuously headed “Eleven-twelve!”

DEAREST GIRL: Can’t wait any longer. Mrs. T. must see her dentist (Archibald). I’m taking her up. Thayers and we lunch at the Palace at one-thirty. Wait for me in my office. J. F.

“Oh, what is the matter with everything to-day!” Susanna burst out in exasperation. “He’s wild, of course. When does he ever sign himself ‘J. F.’ to me! When did they go?” she asked Miss Perry, briefly, with an unreasonable wish that she might somehow hold that irreproachable young woman responsible.

“Just about three minutes ago,” said Miss Perry. “He said that if you had missed your train, you wouldn’t be here for more than an hour, and it was no use waiting.”

“You see, it was a changed time-table, and he forgot it just as I did,” explained Susanna, pleased to find him fallible, even to that extent.

“But HE was on time,” fenced Miss Perry, innocently.

“They don’t change the business trains,” Susanna said coldly. And she decided that she disliked this girl. She opened a magazine and sat down by the open window.

The minutes ticked slowly by. The telephone rang, doors opened and shut, and men came and went through the office. Susanna, opposed in every fibre of her being to passive waiting, suddenly rose.

“Dr. Archibald is in the First National Bank Building, isn’t he?” she inquired. “I think I’ll join Mrs. Thayer up there. There’s no use in my waiting here.”

Miss Perry silently verified Dr. Archibald’s address in the telephone book, and to the First National Bank Building Susanna immediately made her way. It was growing warmer now and the streets seemed noisy and crowded, but no matter–“If I can only get to them and SEE Jim!” thought Susanna.