"
Traill did not reply. Had he made some casual answer in the
affirmative, the man's eyes might not have followed him as he walked
back into his bedroom; the humorous twist of the man's lips might
not have been visible. There would have been no thought to create
it.
"What theatre are you going to?" he asked unconcernedly.
Traill mentioned the name, and began the singing of a hymn tune with
impossible crescendos and various deviations from the melody.
"'Can a woman's tender care
Cease toward the child she bare?
Yes, she may forgetful be ...'"
"I say!" he called out with unceremonious interruption to himself.
"What?"
"You say you've got a loose end?"
"Yes, there's Time got to be killed somehow."
"Well, take Sally out to dinner."
"What, the little lady?"
"Yes, she'll be lonely by herself. I gave her such damned short notice
about this engagement of mine that she didn't have time to send for
that friend of hers--that Miss Hallard. Would you mind doing that?
Don't hesitate to say if you would."
"Oh no, I wouldn't mind in the least. But how about her?"
"I'll call out to her."
The visitor could hear him opening the door that led into the passage,
then his voice--
"Sally!" The clattering of feet above reached them, the hurried
opening of another door, as though the person called for had been
waiting eagerly for the summons.
Pages:
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374