“No,” Marley agreed thoughtfully, and without noticing her inconsistency. “No one else knows anything about it. We have that to be thankful for, anyway.”
CHAPTER XXI
CHRISTMAS EVE
Lawrence was arranging for a grand ball in the Odd Fellows’ Hall, on Christmas Eve, and he had, as he came around to the office one day to assure Marley, counted him and Lavinia in. Marley, glad enough to close the law-book he was finding more and more irksome, listened to Lawrence’s enthusiasm for a while, but said at last:
“I’m afraid I can’t go.”
“Why not? Lavinia will want to go; she always does.”
“I know that,” Marley admitted, “but I can’t, that’s all.”
Lawrence looked at him intently for a moment.
“Say, Glenn, what’s the matter with you?” he said. “Anything been going wrong lately? You look like you were in the dumps.”
Marley shook his head with a negative gesture that admitted all Lawrence had said.
“You ain’t fretting over that job, are you?”