For half a minute she stands there, glancin' from me to the cards undecided, and I expect if she could have electrocuted me with a look I'd have sizzled once or twice and then disappeared in a puff of smoke. But her voltage wa'n't quite high enough for that. Instead she turns to Selma and gives some quick orders.
"Draw these draperies," says she; "then show in the guests. As for you, young man, wait!"
"Gee!" I whispers, as we're shut in. "I wish I knew how to draw up a will."
Vee snickers. "Silly!" says she. "Whatever have you been saying to Aunty now?"
"Me?" says I. "Why, not much. Just a little chat about fam'ly trees and so on, durin' which she——"
Then the arrival chatter in the next room breaks loose, and I stops sudden, starin' at the closed portières with my mouth open.
"Hello!" says I. "Listen who's here!"
"Who?" says Vee.
"That's so," says I. "You don't know 'em, do you? Well, this adds thickenin' to the plot for fair. Remember hearin' me tell of Aunt Zenobia and her new hubby? Well, that's 'em."
"How odd!" says Vee. "But—why, I've heard his voice before! It was at—oh, I know! The nice old gentleman who had the villa next to ours at Mentone."