Part 13 (1/2)
”I just wondered. She is to meet us here.”
”When? In heaven's _name_! When?”
”She ought to be here now.”
Alice thrust backward a palsied hand and, clutching the young man she had danced with, dragged him forward. He was shaking hands with Ten Eyck, and brought him along.
”Stowe! Stowe!” Alice exclaimed, with a tragic fire that did not greatly alarm the young man; he was apparently used to little else from her.
”Yes, dear,” he answered, with a lofty sweetness; and she cried:
”Oh, honey, what _do_ you sup_pose_?”
”What, dear?”
”That awful Mother of mine is expected here any _moment_!”
The young man's majesty collapsed like an overblown balloon in one pop: ”Lord!”
Tableau! Ten Eyck, seeing it, muttered, gloatingly:
”Some folks gits ketched.”
Alice turned eyes of reproach upon him:
”She'll _kill_ us if she finds us together. Isn't there some other way out?”
”I could go down the stairs the waiters come up,” said Stowe; ”but how will you get home?”
”Oh, Mother will get me home all right, never fear!” said Alice. ”Run for your _life_, honey. I'll have my maid call you on the 'phone later.”
The young man gave her one long sad look fairly reeking with desperate kisses and embraces. Then he vanished into the crowd.
Alice must have remarked the comments in Forbes' eyes, for she turned to him:
”You mustn't misunderstand the poor boy, Mr. Forbes. Mr. Webb is as _brave_ as a _lion_, but he runs away on my account. He knows that my mother will give me no rest if she finds it out.”
”I understand perfectly,” said Forbes. ”There are times when the better a soldier is the faster he runs!”
”Mr. Forbes is a soldier,” Persis explained.
”Oh, thank you, twice as much!” said Alice, ”for appreciating the situation.” Then she turned to Persis, and clenched her arm as if she were about to implore some unheard-of mercy: ”And, Oh, Miss Cabot, will you do me one _terribly_ great favor? I'll remember it to my _dying_ day, if you only will.”
”Of course, my dear,” Persis answered, with her usual serenity. ”What is it? Do you want me to tell your mother that I met you somewhere and dragged you here against your will to meet her?”
Alice's wide eyes widened to the danger-point:
”Aren't you simply _wonderful_! How on earth could you possibly have ever _ever_ guessed it?”
Persis cast a sidelong glance at Forbes; it had all the effect of a wink without being so violent.