Part 24 (1/2)

He smiled at her burlesque, but persisted:

”How would you like to--to give the party and order the fodder? I'm just back from the Philippines, you know. I could get up a mess for my company, but I'm afraid I couldn't feed you people to your liking.”

”Oh, n.o.body eats anything any more, or drinks much of anything.”

”All the more reason for having what you do have right. Won't you order it for me, and tell me where to have it?”

She was tempted to seize the chance. It was a delight to her to compose a meal. It was a kind of millinery or dressmaking in its art of arrangement. She checked herself on the brink of acceptance, realizing that it would set people to talking if she conducted Forbes'

entertainments for him. Even Willie, who was neither very observing nor very jealous, would raise a row at that.

”I'll tell you,” she said. ”Ask Mrs. Neff to be the hostess. You're under some obligations to her, and none to me.”

”May I ask her to order the luncheon, too?” said Forbes, with dwindled enthusiasm.

”Oh no; you must do that!”

”I'm afraid I don't know what to have.”

”It's the simplest thing in the world. Just go to the Ritz-Carlton and ask for Fernand. Tell him I'm coming, and I said for him to take good care of you--of us. And now let's see who can come.”

She strolled about with him while he made his invitations. Everybody had engagements of various sorts, but they were brittle. Mrs. Neff was flattered immeasurably, and asked if she could bring Alice along. She was afraid to leave her lest she connive with Stowe Webb at some escapade. Bob Fielding could not come so far up-town from his office, and Winifred could be present only if she were permitted to be late.

”I'm not allowed to eat anything, anyway,” she moaned, ”except a little dried toast and some lemon-juice; and the waiters treat me like a dog.

But I'll be there if you'll protect me.”

Ten Eyck had planned to run down to Piping Rock, but he would not desert Forbes in his hour of peril. Willie had an important engagement with one of the executors of his father's estate, but he quickly s.h.i.+fted it when he found that Persis was to be present. This made seven all told, four women and three men.

”I could get more if you want,” said Persis; ”but seven is lucky, and more is no fun.”

”Seven is just right,” said Forbes, with a little premonitory chill at the thought of the probable cost.

It was finally agreed that they were to lunch late, take a little spin round town, and then turkey-trot again in the afternoon.

Forbes was amazed at himself. Now he was to play the host, and Persis was to be at his elbow! Or should he put her opposite him, as if she were his wife? What a decoration she would be at a man's home table!

The word ”home” took a new timbre in his soul. Hitherto home had meant the tall, white columns and broad lawns where his mother lived. Now it began to mean almost any place--soldiers' quarters, hotel--any place where Persis would rest awhile. Even the humming-bird has a nest to go to when its wings are tired. Some day Persis must nest, too. Her wings could not beat on forever.

CHAPTER XXII

There had come to be more and more room on the floor as the crowd dispersed slowly. Many of the young owls were by daylight bank-clerks and office a.s.sistants, learning their father's trades of money. They were remembering that they must be up betimes in the morning. They had been campaigning all winter on short rations of sleep. If they made up lost slumber anywhere, it was at their desks, to which nothing but a spanking cold bath could have roused them day after day.

They were glad now when their demoiselles confessed to fatigue, too, or the mothers began to mention the hour.

Even Mrs. Neff was a trifle groggy. The poor old soul was trying hard to keep from confessing how tired and sleepy she was. She kept herself young by pretending to be young, and her motto was, ”A woman is just as old as she says she is.” Though, for the matter of that, if her statement of her age had been correct, her eldest son must have been born before she was; and Alice would have come along when her mother was about eight years old.

Persis was growing drowsy-eyed, too, and heavy-limbed, with an almost voluptuous longing for sleep. She drooped like a flower at sunset. She ceased to smuggle her yawns as sighs, and once or twice she forgot to lift her hand to hide them.

Forbes was so infatuated that he admired even her yawns. He wanted to whisper over her round shoulder, ”How pretty you are when you are a sleepy-head!” But he had been lessoned enough for one evening.