Roberts, at whom she glances with misgiving as she
runs out, holding the parcels on his knees with both
elbows and one hand, and contriving with the help
of his chin to get his magazine open again: “No,
no; I won’t, my dear.” He loses himself
in his reading, while people come and go restlessly.
A gentleman finally drops into the seat beside him,
and contemplates his absorption with friendly amusement.
ROBERTS AND WILLIS CAMPBELL
Campbell: “Don’t mind me,
Roberts.”
Roberts, looking up: “Heigh? What!
Why, Willis! Glad to see you—”
Campbell: “Now that you do see me,
yes, I suppose you are. What have you got there
that makes you cut all your friends?” He looks
at Roberts’s open page. “Oh! Popular
Science Monthly. Isn’t Agnes a little afraid
of your turning out an agnostic? By-the-way, where
is Agnes?”
Roberts: “She left her purse at Stearns’s,
and she’s gone back after it. Where’s
Amy?”
Campbell: “Wherever she said she wouldn’t
be at the moment. I expected to find her here
with you and Agnes. What time did you say your
train started?”
Roberts. “At ten minutes to four.
And, by-the-way—I’d almost forgotten
it—I must keep an eye out for the cook Agnes
has been engaging. She was to meet us here before
half-past two, and I shall have to receive her.
You mustn’t tell Amy; Agnes doesn’t want
her to know she’s been changing cooks; and I’ve
got to be very vigilant not to let her give us the
slip, or you won’t have any dinner to-night.”
Campbell: “Is that so? Well, that
interests me. Were you expecting to find her
in the Pop. Sci.?”
Roberts: “Oh, I’d only been reading
a minute when you came in.”
Campbell: “I don’t believe you know
how long you’d been reading. Very likely
your cook’s come and gone.”
Roberts, with some alarm: “She couldn’t.
I’d only just opened the book.”
Campbell: “I dare say you think
so. But you’d better cast your eagle eye
over this assemblage now, and see if she isn’t
here; though probably she’s gone. What
sort of looking woman is she?”
Roberts, staring at him in consternation: “Bless
my soul! I don’t know! I never saw
her!”
Campbell: “Never saw her?”
Roberts: “No; Agnes engaged her at the
intelligence-office, and told her we should meet her
here, and she had to go back for her purse, and left
me to explain.”
Campbell: “Ha, ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha!
How did she expect you to recognize her?”
Roberts: “I—I don’t know,
I’m sure. She—she was very anxious
I shouldn’t let her get away.”
Campbell, laughing: “You poor old fellow!
What are you going to do?”
Roberts: “I’m sure I’ve no
idea. Agnes—”
Campbell: “Agnes ought to have a keeper.
You know what I’ve always thought of your
presence of mind, Roberts; but Agnes—I’m
really surprised at Agnes. This is too good!
I must tell Amy this. She’ll never get
over this. Ah, ha, ha, ha!”
