"Please say good-night to Miss Leighton for me," Beaton continued. He bowed to Miss Woodburn, "Goodnight, Miss Woodburn," and to her father, bluntly, "Goodnight."
"Good-night, sir," said the Colonel, with a sort of severe suavity.
"Oh, isn't he choming!" Miss Woodburn whispered to Mrs. Leighton when Beaton left the room.
Alma spoke to him in the hall without. "You knew that was my design, Mr. Beaton. Why did you bring it?"
"Why?" He looked at her in gloomy hesitation.
Then he said: "You know why. I wished to talk it over with you, to serve you, please you, get back your good opinion. But I've done neither the one nor the other; I've made a mess of the whole thing."
Alma interrupted him. "Has it been accepted?"
"It will be accepted, if you will let it."
"Let it?" she laughed. "I shall be delighted." She saw him swayed a little toward her. "It's a matter of business, isn't it?"
"Purely. Good-night."