"I'm going home; I'm very tired."
Helen and Grayson rose and the former came toward her inquiringly.
Stephanie smiled:
"Jim will take me back," she said. "Don't let me disturb your pleasure. And tell Oswald I was very sleepy.... And not to come to the studio for a day or two. Good night, dear."
She made a humorously tired little gesture of farewell to Grayson also, and, taking Cleland's arm again, sauntered with him toward the lobby.
"Get your overcoat and my wraps," she said in a colourless, even voice. "I have a car outside. Here's the call-check. I'll wait over there for you."
Her car, a toy limousine, was ultimately found. Cleland redeemed his overcoat and her wrap. When he came back for her she smiled at him, suffered him to swathe her in the white silk cloak, and, laying her dainty hand lightly on his sleeve, went out with him into the lamp-lit grey of dawn.
"You are feeling better," he said as they seated themselves in the limousine and the little car rolled away southward.
"Yes. It was the stifling atmosphere there, I suppose."
"It was horribly close," he assented.