Susan seated herself at the long table and with the seeming of calmness that always veiled her in her hours of greatest agitation, turned over the pages of the theatrical journals and magazines spread about in quantity.
After perhaps ten silent and uninterrupted minutes a man hurried in from the outside hall, strode toward the frosted glass door marked "Private." With his hand reaching for the knob he halted, made an impatient gesture, plumped himself down at the long table--at its distant opposite end.With a sweep of the arm he cleared a space wherein he proceeded to spread papers from his pocket and to scribble upon them furiously.
When Susan happened to glance at him, his head was bent so low and his straw hat was tilted so far forward that she could not see his face.She observed that he was dressed attractively in an extremely light summer suit of homespun; his hands were large and strong and ruddy--the hands of an artist, in good health.Her glance returned to the magazine.After a few minutes she looked up.She was startled to find that the man was giving her a curious, searching inspection--and that he was Brent, the playwright--the same fascinating face, keen, cynical, amused--the same seeing eyes, that, in the Cafe Martin long ago, had made her feel as if she were being read to her most secret thought.She dropped her glance.
His voice made her start."It's been a long time since I've seen you," he was saying.
She looked up, not believing it possible he was addressing her.
But his gaze was upon her.Thus, she had not been mistaken in thinking she had seen recognition in his eyes."Yes," she said, with a faint smile.
"A longer time for you than for me," said he.
"A good deal has happened to me," she admitted.
"Are you on the stage?"
"No.Not yet."
The girl entered by way of the private door."Miss Lenox--this way, please." She saw Brent, became instantly all smiles and bows."Oh--Mr.Fitzalan doesn't know you're here, Mr.Brent,"she cried.Then, to Susan, "Wait a minute."
She was about to reenter the private office when Brent stopped her with, "Let Miss Lenox go in first.I don't wish to see Mr.
Fitzalan yet." And he stood up, took off his hat, bowed gravely to Susan, said, "I'm glad to have seen you again."Susan, with some color forced into her old-ivory skin by nervousness and amazement, went into the presence of Fitzalan.
As the now obsequious girl closed the door behind her, she found herself facing a youngish man with a remnant of hair that was little more than fuzz on the top of his head.His features were sharp, aggressive, rather hard.He might have sat for the typical successful American young man of forty--so much younger in New York than is forty elsewhere in the United States--and so much older.He looked at Susan with a pleasant sympathetic smile.
"So," said he, "you're taking care of poor Spenser, are you?
Tell him I'll try to run down to see him.I wish I could do something for him--something worth while, I mean.But--his request----"Really, I've nothing of the kind.I couldn't possibly place you--at least, not at present--perhaps, later on----""I understand," interrupted Susan."He's very ill.It would help him greatly if you would write him a few lines, saying you'll give me a place at the first vacancy, but that it may not be soon.I'll not trouble you again.I want the letter simply to carry him over the crisis."Fitzalan hesitated, rubbed his fuzzy crown with his jeweled hand."Tell him that," he said, finally."I'm rather careful about writing letters....Yes, say to him what you suggested, as if it was from me.""The letter will make all the difference between his believing and not believing," urged Susan."He has great admiration and liking for you--thinks you would do anything for him."Fitzalan frowned; she saw that her insistence had roused--or, rather, had strengthened--suspicion."Really--you must excuse me.What I've heard about him the past year has not----"But, no matter, I can't do it.You'll let me know how he's getting on? Good day." And he gave her that polite yet positive nod of dismissal which is a necessary part of the equipment of men of affairs, constantly beset as they are and ever engaged in the battle to save their chief asset, time, from being wasted.
Susan looked at him--a straight glance from gray eyes, a slight smile hovering about her scarlet lips.He reddened, fussed with the papers before him on the desk from which he had not risen.She opened the door, closed it behind her.Brent was seated with his back full to her and was busy with his scribbling.She passed him, went on to the outer door.She was waiting for his voice; she knew it would come.
"Miss Lenox!"
