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between a group of young people rapidly advanced in intimacy by a week's
stay under the same roof； and at the first yawn a gay dispersion of the
votaries ended it all。
The yawn came from Bushwick； who boldly owned； when his guilt was brought
home to him； that he was sleepy； and then as he expected to be scared out
of a year's growth the next night； and not be able to sleep for a week
afterwards； he was now going to bed。 He shook hands with Mrs。 Westangle
for good…night。 The latest to follow him was Verrian； who； strangely
alert； and as far from drowsiness as he had ever known himself； was yet
more roused by realizing that Mrs。 Westangle was not letting his hand go
at once； but； unless it was mere absent…mindedness； was conveying through
it the wish to keep him。 She fluttered a little more closely up to him；
and twittered out； 〃Miss Shirley wants me to let you know that she has
told me about your coming together； and everything。〃
〃Oh； I'm very glad；〃 Verrian said； not sure that it was the right thing。
〃I don't know why she feels so； but she has a right to do as she pleases
about it。 She's not a guest。〃
〃No；〃 Verrian assented。
〃It happens very well； though； for the ghost…seeing that people don't
know she's here。 After that I shall tell them。 In fact； she wants me
to； for she must be on the lookout for other engagements。 I am going to
do everything I can for her； and if you hear of anything〃
Verrian bowed； with a sense of something offensive in her words which he
could not logically feel； since it was a matter of business and was put
squarely on a business basis。 〃I should be very glad；〃 he said；
noncommittally。
〃She was sure from the first；〃 Mrs。 Westangle went on； as if there were
some relation between the fact and her request； 〃that you were not the
actor。 She knew you were a writer。〃
〃Oh； indeed！〃 Verrian said。
〃I thought that if you were writing for the newspapers you might know how
to help her…〃
〃I'm not a newspaper writer；〃 Verrian answered； with a resentment which
she seemed to feel； for she said； with a sort of apology in her tone：
〃Oh！ Well； I don't suppose it matters。 She doesn't know I'm speaking to
you about that； it just came into my head。 I like to help in a worthy
object； you know。 I hope you'll have a good night's rest。〃
She turned and looked round with the air of distraction which she had
after speaking to any one； and which Verrian fancied came as much from a
paucity as from a multiplicity of suggestion in her brain； and so left
him standing。 But she came back to say； 〃Of course； it's all between
ourselves till after to…morrow night； Mr。 Verrian。〃
〃Oh； certainly；〃 he replied； and went vaguely off in the direction of the
billiard…room。 It was light and warm there； though the place was empty；
and he decided upon a cigar as a proximate or immediate solution。 He sat
smoking before the fire till the tobacco's substance had half turned into
a wraith of ash； and not really thinking of anything very definitely；
except the question whether he should be able to sleep after he went to
bed； when he heard a creeping step on the floor。 He turned quickly； with
a certain expectance in his nerves； and saw nothing more ghostly than
Bushwick standing at the corner of the table and apparently hesitating
how to speak to him。
He said； 〃Hello！〃 and at this Bushwick said：
〃Look here！〃
〃Well？〃 Verrian asked； looking at him。
〃How does it happen you're up so late； after everybody else is wrapped in
slumber？〃
〃I might ask the same of you。〃
〃Well； I found I wasn't making it a case of sleep； exactly； and so I got
up。〃
〃Well； I hadn't gone to bed for much the same reason。 Why couldn't you
sleep？ A real…estate broker ought to have a clean conscience。〃
〃So ought a publisher； for that matter。 What do you think of this ghost…
dance； anyway？〃
〃It might be amusingif it fails。〃 Verrian was tempted to add the
condition by the opportunity for a cynicism which he did not feel。 It is
one of the privileges of youth to be cynical； whether or no。
Bushwick sat down before the fire and rubbed his shins with his two hands
unrestfully； drawing in a long breath between his teeth。 〃These things
get on to my nerves sometimes。 I shouldn't want the ghost…dance to
fail。〃
〃On Mrs。 Westangle's account？〃
〃I guess Mrs。 Westangle could stand it。 Look here！〃 It was rather a
customary phrase of his； Verrian noted。 As he now used it he looked
alertly round at Verrian； with his hands still on his shins。 〃What's the
use of our beating round the bush？〃
Verrian delayed his answer long enough to decide against the aimless pun
of asking； 〃What Bushwick？〃 and merely asked； 〃What bush？〃
〃The bush where the milk in the cocoanut grows。 You don't pretend that
you believe Mrs。 Westangle has been getting up all these fairy stunts？〃
Verrian returned to his cigar； from which the ashen wraith dropped into
his lap。 〃I guess you'll have to be a little clearer。〃 But as Bushwick
continued silently looking at him； the thing could not be left at this
point； and he was obliged to ask of his own initiative； 〃How much do you
know？〃
Bushwick leaned back in his chair； with his eyes still on Verrian's
profile。 〃As much as Miss Macroyd could tell me。〃
〃Ah； I'm still in the dark；〃 Verrian politely regretted； but not with a
tacit wish to wring Miss Macroyd's neck； which he would not have known
how to account for。
〃Well； she says that Mrs。 Westangle has a professional assistant who's
doing the whole job for her； and that she came down on the same train
with herself and you。〃
〃Did she say that she grabbed the whole victoria for herself and maid at
the station？〃 Verrian demanded； in a burst of rage； 〃and left us to get
here the best way we could？〃
Bushwick grinned。 〃She supposed there were other carriages； and when she
found there weren't she hurried the victoria back for you。〃
〃You think she believes all that？ I'm glad she has the decency to be
ashamed of her behavior。〃
〃I'm not defending her。 Miss Macroyd knows how to take care of herself。〃
The matter rather dropped for the moment； in which Bushwick filled a pipe
he took from his pocket and lighted it。 After the first few whiffs he
took it from his mouth； and； with a droll look across at Verrian； said；
〃Who was your fair friend？〃
If Verrian was going to talk of this thing； he was not going to do it
with the burden of any sort of reserve or contrivance on his soul。 〃This
afternoon？〃 Bushwick nodded； and Verrian added； 〃That was she。〃 Then he
went on； wrathfully： 〃She's a girl who has to make her living； and she's
doing it in a new way that she's invented for herself。 She has supposed
that the stupid rich； or the lazy rich； who want to entertain people may
be willing to pay for ideas； and she proposes to supply the ideas for a
money consideration。 She's not a guest in the house； and she won't take
herself on a society basis at all。 I don't know what her history is； and
I don't care。 She's a lady by training； and； if she had the accent； I
should say she was from the South； for she has the enterprise of the
South that comes North and