"Send Miss Norcross to the telephone."
Pete repressed a start and worked steadily with the can-opener. But his ears were alert. As for Mary, she appeared to have forgotten his presence.
"Oh, Nell; is that you? This is Mary talking. No; I'm not in Larchmont. I'm home. Oh, yes; we were there. But something awful happened. I want you to come around here right away. I've just got to talk to you; I need your advice. What? No; I can't tell you about it over the 'phone; it would take too long. Please hurry; it's important. I—I want your moral support. I'm afraid the beginning of the end is here, and you just can't desert me now. You've got to come. All right. Take a taxi, if you can find one. But hurry, anyhow."
As she replaced the receiver Pete Stearns was facing her. And then she remembered. A slow flush came into her cheeks.
"I've been guessing for a long time that there was something queer about you," he observed, with a cynical smile. "So it's 'Miss Norcross' at the other end of the wire, is it? And who are you?"
"You had no business to listen to a conversation," she said angrily.
"Strikes me it was stupid of you to forget I was here, Miss Norcross—Wayne—or whoever you are."
He eyed her maliciously.
"So it's the beginning of the end, is it? Well, let me in on it."
Mary returned her glance defiantly.