"With Tom O'Connell," Roger said and rose.
Hilary rose too. They looked at each other. Roger smiled first.
"I suppose it was bound to come," Hilary said, relieved.
"Yes. I have thought for some time—yes—it had to come." Roger almost respected him for his honesty and when, with a truly regretful smile, Hilary held out his hand, Roger was able to return the shake without scorn. "We see things too differently to work well together."
"Yes. I feel like a fish out of water, more so every day."
Hilary twinkled. "Well, if you're going to jump into the sea I think you're headed for—I hope you won't drown," was his comment.
"I'll try to swim," Roger agreed, and then followed a short talk of work Roger was leaving undone. "If it will help out, I'll stay till you get some one."
"N-o, you needn't. I'm taking on Hawthorne from the auditing department as my private secretary. In fact, I'm thinking of changing the angle of some of the work quite materially. It's no good wasting brains and money on conditions that aren't ripe for them."
"None at all," Roger agreed.
At the end of a quarter of an hour it was over. Roger was out again in the warm morning sunshine. And then he thought of Anne.