Don was decidedly self-conscious when he stepped briskly into the office of Carter, Rand & Seagraves, with a brave attempt to give the impression that nothing whatever out of the ordinary had happened to him during his brief vacation. But Blake, as he expressed it to her later, was there with bells on. He spied him the moment he came through the door and greeted him with a whistled bar from the “Wedding March.” Not content with that, he tore several sheets of office stationery into small bits and sprinkled him with it. He seemed to take it as more or less of a joke.
“You certainly put one over on us,” exclaimed Blake.
“Well, let it go at that,” Don frowned.
He was willing to take the horse-play, but there was something in the spirit with which it was done that he did not like.
“Always heard bridegrooms were a bit touchy,” returned Blake.
Don stepped nearer.
“Touchy isn’t the word, Blake,” he said; “proud comes nearer it. Remember that I’m proud as the devil of the girl you used to see here. Just base your future attitude toward her and me on that.”
A few minutes later Farnsworth restored his good humor. As he came into the private office, Farnsworth rose and extended his hand.
“I want to congratulate you, Pendleton,” he said sincerely.