It was a magic night. But
the wonder of it did not apparently reach him. A table littered with
papers stood in front of him bearing a portable electric lamp. He was
obviously too engrossed to think of exterior things.
For a space he sat again in silence by the open window, only the
faint rustling of the lace curtain being audible. His somewhat hard,
clean-shaven face was bent over his work with rigid concentration.
His eyelids scarcely stirred.
Then again there came a tapping, this time at the door. The frown
returned to his face. He looked up.
"Well?"
The door opened. A small, sharp-faced boy poked in his head. "A lady to
see you, sir."
"What?" said Field. His frown deepened. "I can't see any one. I told you
so."
"Says she won't go away till she's seen you, sir," returned the boy
glibly. "Can't get her to budge, sir."
"Oh, tell her--" said Field, and stopped as if arrested by a sudden
thought. "Who is it?" he asked.
A grin so brief that it might have been a mere twitch of the features
passed over the boy's face.
"Wouldn't give no name, sir. But she's a nob of some sort," he said. "Got
a shiny satin dress on under her cloak."
Field's eyes went for a moment to his littered papers. Then he picked up
a newspaper from a chair and threw it over them.
"Show her in!" he said briefly.
He got up with the words, and stood with his back to the window, watching
the half-open door.
Pages:
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324