And now he wanted to see her––needed to see her. A day was too long to pass without seeing her. An 129 evening without her––and another––and others, appalled him.
And all the afternoon he thought of her, his mind scarcely on his business at all.
His parents were dining at home. He was very gay that evening––very amusing in describing his misadventures with Messrs. Puma and Skidder. But his mother appeared to be more interested in the description of his encounter with Elorn.
“She’s such a dear,” she said. “If you go to the Speedwells’ dinner on Thursday you’ll see her again. You haven’t declined, I hope; have you, Jim?”
It appeared that he had.
“If you drop out of things this way nobody will bother to ask you anywhere after a while. Don’t you know that, dear?” she said. “This town forgets overnight.”
“I suppose so, mother. I’ll keep up.”
His father remarked that it was part of his business to know the sort of people who bought houses.
Jim agreed with him. “I’ll surely kick in again,” he promised cheerfully.... “I think I’ll go to the club this evening.”