“Why, Harvey––” she stammered, catching her breath.
“When you’ve had your coffee,” he added.
She sipped her coffee in silence, in wonder, in bitter resentment. He munched the club sandwich and sucked the coffee through his thin moustache with a vehemence that grated on her nerves terribly.
“I’ve had all I want,” she said, suddenly putting the little cup down with a crash. 115
“Then go over and tell ’em you’ve got to go home.”
She crossed the room, red-faced and angry. He watched her as she made an announcement to the party, saw them laugh uproariously, and smiled in triumph over the evidence of annoyance on the part of Fairfax. Nellie was whispering something close to the big man’s ear, and he was shaking his head vigorously. Then she waved her hand to the party and started away. Fairfax arose to follow her. As he did so, Harvey came to his feet and advanced. The big man stopped short, with a look of actual alarm in his eyes, and went back to his seat, hastily motioning to the head waiter.
Five minutes later Miss Duluth emerged from the café, followed by the little man in the checked suit.
An attendant blew his whistle and called out down the line of waiting motors:—
“Mr. Fairfax’s car up!”
“Get me a taxi,” ordered Nellie, hastily.