“‘Roberts,’” he echoed in a low tone, “‘Roberts,’ always ‘Roberts’! Not ‘Darley,’ even then.” He turned abruptly toward his own rooms, his great shoulders all but blocking the doorway as he passed out. “Good-night,” he said.
CHAPTER X
DECISION
The light on the porch was dim, and as Elice Gleason, answering the ring, opened the outer door she stared as one who sees unbelievable things. For a moment she did not utter a sound, merely stood there gazing at the visitor with a look that was only partially credulous; in sudden weakness, oddly unlike her normal composure, she covered her face with her hands.
“Elice!” Unbidden, the man came wholly within. “A thousand pardons for startling you. I should have let you know—’phoned at least. I—pardon me, please.”
With an effort the girl removed her hands, but Darley Roberts saw she was still trembling.
“No need to apologize.” She closed the door mechanically. “You did surprise me, it’s true; but that wasn’t the trouble really. I’ve been expecting something to happen all day, something that hasn’t happened yet, and when you rang I fancied—” She laughed, as though 331 the inadequate explanation were complete and withal a thing of trivial moment. “You remember once I told you I believed, after all, you had nerves. I’m making the tardy discovery that I’ve got them myself.”
In his turn Roberts smiled and ignored the obvious. He seldom anticipated, this man.