"She's here—and you didn't call me? Peter, there are times when I am tempted to throw you out—"
"Pardon sir," replied Peter firmly, "I made bold to assume that you might be interested in the young lady's arrival, and presumed to step into the laboratory to so inform—"
But his master had gone, shedding his laboratory smock as he went. Peter, gathering his dignity about him as a garment, reached the doorway in time to see the elevator slide downwards out of sight.
And in it, Ralph, his heart thumping in a most undignified way, was acting more like a schoolboy than a master of science. He twitched at his tie with one hand and smoothed his hair with the other, peering into the elevator's little mirror anxiously. Discovering a smudge on his cheek he checked the car between floors while he wiped away the spot with his handkerchief.
When he reached the reception room he sprang from the elevator eagerly and hurried in. Seated by one of the windows were Alice 212B 423 and her father. Both turned as he entered, and the girl rose to her feet and with a charming gesture held out both hands.
"We just had to come," she said prettily, and in perfect English. "You didn't give us an opportunity to thank you yesterday, and anyhow, we felt that telephot thanks were not nearly so nice. That is, father thought we really ought to come in person—of course, I did, too. I wanted to see you ever so much"—she broke off, and then, realizing the implication of her words, went on hastily with reddened cheeks and downcast eyes, "I mean, to—to thank you, you know."
"It was wonderful of you," he declared still holding her two hands, and utterly unmindful of the fact that she was gently trying to disengage them. Indeed, he was not conscious of anyone or anything but her, until the voice of her father brought him to the realization that there was someone else in the room.
"We need no introduction I think," said the gentleman, "but I am James 212B 422 and I must ask you to pardon our intrusion upon a busy scientist's time, but I felt that we should come personally to thank you for the great service you have done us both. She is my one daughter, sir, and I love her dearly—dearly—"
"I can quite understand that," said Ralph with an unconscious ardor that caused Alice, who had completely recovered from her momentary confusion, to dimple and blush delightfully.