“Nothing,” he said, with assumed animation.
“Yes, there is. You’ve had bad news of some kind.”
“Did I show it?” he asked, with chagrin.
“Oh, no, not very much, but I knew.”
His face softened. “It’s nothing, Nina.”
“You’ve fallen in love with some other woman.”
“Good heavens, no—yes, I mean, I have.”
“You’ve lost some money.”
He lighted his cigar, began smoking it, and not until teased and worried by questions rained on him from above did he ejaculate, “Suppose I have. There’s my salary.”