On Red Payson's worn face a faint smile appeared. "Carry on, Dare."
Then Blair fell to questioning Lane as to all the news he had heard, and people he had met.
"So Manton turned you down cold," said Blair, ponderingly.
"I didn't get to see him," replied Lane. "He sent out word that my old job was held by a girl who did my work better and at less pay."
The blood leaped to Blair's white cheek.
"What'd you say?" he queried.
"Nothing much. I just trailed out.... But the truth is, Blair—I couldn't have stood that place—not for a day."
"I get you," rejoined Blair. "That isn't the point, though. I always wondered if we'd find our old jobs open to us. Of course, I couldn't fill mine now. It was an outside job—lots of walking."
So the conversation see-sawed back and forth, with Red Payson listening in languid interest.
"Have you seen any of the girls?" asked Blair.