The Business of Life

"A lady to see you, sir," said Farris. Desboro, lying on the sofa, glanced up over his book. "A lady?" "Yes, sir." "Well, who is she, Farris?" "She refused her name, Mr. James." Desboro swung his legs to the carpet and sat up. "What kind of lady is she?" he asked; "a perfect one, or the real thing?" "I don't know, sir. It's hard to tell these days; one dresses like t'other." Desboro laid aside his book and arose leisurely. "Where is she?" "In the reception room, sir." "Did you ever before see her?" "I don't know, Mr. James—what with her veil and furs——" "How did she come?" "In one of Ransom's hacks from the station. There's a trunk outside, too." "What the devil——" "Yes, sir. That's what made me go to the door. Nobody rang. I heard the stompin' and the noise; and I went out, and she just kind of walked in. Yes, sir." [Pg 2] "Is the hack out there yet?" "No, sir. Ransom's man he left the trunk and drove off. I heard her tell him he could go." Desboro remained silent for a few moments, looking hard at the fireplace; then he tossed his cigarette onto the embers, dropped the amber mouthpiece into the pocket of his dinner jacket, dismissed Farris with a pleasant nod, and walked very slowly along the hall, as though in no haste to meet his visitor before he could come to some conclusion concerning her identity. For among all the women he had known, intimately or otherwise, he could remember very few reckless enough, or brainless enough, or sufficiently self-assured, to pay him an impromptu visit in the country at such an hour of the night. The reception room, with its early Victorian furniture, appeared to be empty, at first glance; but the next instant he saw somebody in the curtained embrasure of a window—a shadowy figure which did not seem inclined to leave obscurity—the figure of a woman in veil and furs, her face half hidden in her muff. He hesitated a second, then walked toward her; and she lifted her head.