"A compliment or an insult?"
"I don't know, do you?"
He was laughing quietly now, his nerves stronger by the tension of the challenge of her evident gaiety.
She smiled a gracious forgiveness of his dubious answer.
"Mr. Bivens was detained down town on business. I am awfully sorry he's not here to join in my welcome."
"Well, I'm not."
He was looking steadily at her with curious concentration.
She answered with a flash from her dark eyes and critically looked him over.
"Well?" he asked.
"I'm awfully disappointed."