I had to say something and took what seemed to me the most natural.
"I'd heard Miss Hesketh was a great one for jollying up the men and I wanted to hear how she did it."
And they all—that means Babbitts, too—just burst out and roared.
"Good for you, Miss Morganthau," said Mr. Whitney, and he put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a shake. "Only I'll bet a hat you didn't need any teaching."
He turned to his son and said something about "the car being there," and then back to me:
"Now for a few days, Miss Morganthau, I'll expect you to be off duty in a place accessible by telephone."
"Off duty!" I exclaimed. "How can I do that?"
He smiled in his easy way and said:
"We'll attend to that, don't you worry about it. Go home and stay there till you get a call from me. If anyone asks what's the matter say you're ill and laid off for a few days. Don't bother about reporting at the office; that'll be arranged. And I need hardly tell you not to speak a word of what you've discovered or of this interview here to-night."
"She won't," said Babbitts. "I'll go bail for that."