"Oh," Barbara again assumed an expression of animation. "Oh, I did."
"Jim go?"
"Oh, yes, he went with the Russells. That's getting to be quite a case, you know," Barbara said airily.
"I thought that was Elinor Sparrow and her mother," Mrs. Toland said, bowing to two ladies who were now at some distance, and were leaving the room. "They were at that table, but I couldn't be sure who they were until they got up."
"Was Elinor right there?" Barbara asked quickly.
"Why, yes; but as I say—"
Barbara pushed back her broiled bird with a gesture of utter exasperation.
"I think you might have said something about it, Mother," she said, angry and disappointed.
"Why, my darling," Mrs. Toland began, fluttered, "how could I dream—besides, as I say, I couldn't see—"
"You knew how I felt about Saturday," Barbara said bitterly, "and you let them sit there an hour! I could have turned around—I could have—"