“Yes,” she said, a little frightened by his look. “It was most carefully put in every case, Manfred.”
The knocking had stopped now, as if the person outside expected the door to open. Husband and wife went forward.
“Who can it be?” said Mrs. Hegner uneasily.
And then her question was answered.
The voice was clear and silvery. “It’s Miss Haworth! Can I come in and speak to you a moment, Mr. Hegner, or has the meeting already begun?”
“Why, it’s the young lady from the Deanery!” exclaimed Manfred Hegner in a relieved voice; and both he and his wife began hastily unlocking and unbarring the great plate-glass doors.
The unbidden, unexpected visitor stepped forward into the shop, and Mrs. Hegner eagerly noted the cut and shape of the prettily draped pale blue silk evening coat, and tried to gain some notion of the evening gown beneath.
“I’m so glad to be in time—I mean before your meeting has begun. How very nice it all looks!” The speaker cast an approving glance on the rout chairs, on the table at the top of the room, on the counter where steamed, even now, the fragrant coffee. “The Dean has asked me to bring a message—of course quite an informal message, Mr. Hegner. He wants you to tell everybody that he is quite at their service if they want anything done.”
“That is very, very good of Mr. Dean. Polly, d’you hear that? Is not the Reverend gentleman truly good?”
“Yes, indeed,” said Mrs. Hegner, a trifle mechanically.