“Good Heavens,” said Agnes, “in this dreadful heat? How silly!”
“Always on the go,” purred Esther.
“It’s wise to keep abreast,” said Guy seriously. “I’ll just nip down to Canaveral and see what’s shaking on the space-scene, so to speak.”
“Same old six-and-seven, Guy?” teased big Ginger, flashing up at him.
“Well, who can say?” admitted Guy frankly. “These are odd times—are, if I may say, times that try men’s souls. Yet each of us does his best—who can say more?”
“Guy,” said Ginger, squeezing his hand and sparkling up again on one monstrous surge of personality, “it has been fun!” Good-byes were her forte.
Guy gave a courtly nod, before turning to go, in deference, it seemed, to her beauty.
“My dear,” he whispered, with a huskiness that made all the ladies tingle, “it has been ... inspiring.”
** ***
The S.S. Magic Christian was Grand’s last major project—at least it was the last to be brought into open account. After that he began to taper off. However, he did like “keeping in touch,” as he expressed it, and, for one thing, he bought himself a grocery store in New York City. Quite small, it was more or less indistinguishable from the several others in the neighborhood, and Grand put up a little sign in the window.