Cliff’s reverie stopped as he realized that the girl was watching him from the corner of her eye. This was not the first time that it had happened.
Durgan and other men in the lobby had paid no attention to the motionless man in the corner; they had apparently not known that they were being observed. But the girl had noticed it on each occasion.
Now, she turned to look back at the door. Her gaze met Cliff’s. The girl smiled. Cliff’s lips moved slightly.
The girl turned to the clerk and purchased some postage stamps. She walked deliberately toward Cliff and sat at a writing table only a few feet away.
She produced three envelopes from her bag, applied the stamps, and began to write the addresses. Both Cliff and the girl were out of range of the clerk’s view. The lobby was virtually deserted.
One envelope dropped from the table. It fell close beside Cliff. He saw it, but made no motion. The girl completed her writing. She looked for the missing envelope.
Cliff smiled as he watched her without turning his head in her direction. The girl was looking everywhere except toward the spot where the envelope had fallen. An expression of vexation appeared upon her face.
Cliff reached down and picked up the envelope. Rising, he stepped to the desk and laid the envelope before the girl.
“Thank you,” she said quickly. “Thank you — so much.”
She was looking straight into Cliff’s face, and her blue eyes sparkled. Cliff returned her gaze; then he made a motion as though about to turn away. The girl spoke again.