“O Lord!––show her in.”
Marie Louise entered. Davidge looked up, leaped up.
She did not come in with the drawing-room, train-dragging 191 manner of Miss Webling. She did not wear the insolent beauty of Mamise of the Musical Mokes. She was a white-waisted, plain-skirted office-woman, a businessette. She had a neat little hat and gave him a secretarial bow.
He rushed to her hand, and they had a good laugh like two children playing pretend. Then he said:
“Why the camouflage?”
The word was not very new even then, or he would not have used it.
She explained, with royal simplicity:
“I want a job.”
She brought out her diploma and a certificate giving her a civil-service status. She was quite conceited about it.
She insisted on displaying her accomplishments.