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Jim saw that Gilfoyle's departure had been accepted as a Heaven-sent solution of Kedzie's problems. Abruptly it came to Dyckman that the solution of their problem was the beginning of a whole volume of new problems for him. He recalled that while he had become Kedzie's fiance in ignorance of his predecessor, he had rashly promised to buy off Gilfoyle as soon as he learned of him.
Charity Coe was near it, seated on a marble bench alone. She was pensive with curious thoughts. She heard Kedzie's childish snivel as she passed. Charity looked up, recognized the girl with difficulty, and after a moment's hesitation called to her: "What's the matter, you poor child? Come here! What's wrong?" Kedzie suffered herself to be checked.
But Kedzie remembered vividly that Jim had said he met Charity on the street. And now she had caught him in a lie, a woman-lie! He was not there to explain that he visited Charity in Kedzie's behalf, and if he had explained it would only have embittered her the more. Being quite convinced now of Jim's perfidy, she denied the possibility of it. "Jim's square, I'm sure.
He called it "shah pine," according to Kedzie's ear, but she hoped he meant shampane. She had always wanted to taste "wealthy water," as Gilfoyle called it, but never called for it. Kedzie was a trifle alarmed when Ferriday said: "I hope you don't like it sweet. It can't be too dry for me." "Me, either," Kedzie assured him and made a face implying that she always took it in the form of a powder.
She smiled a little at the inspiration that had saved her from confessing that she was Mrs. Gilfoyle. It was neat of her to tell Mr. Ferriday that she could be addressed "in care of Mrs. Gilfoyle." In care of herself! That was just what she was. Who else was so interested in Kedzie's advancement as Kedzie? She was a bitterly disappointed Kedzie just now.
But Kedzie's eyes were filling with sand. They had gazed too long at brilliance. She dashed back to the elevator and to her room. She was exhausted, and she pulled off her clothes and let them lie where they fell. She slid her weary frame between the sheets and instantly slept.
This morning at daybreak he had been reproaching himself for being a vicious gorilla who had carried off a little girl; now he was realizing that the little girl had carried him off and was making a monkey of him. Kedzie's mental disarray was the overwhelming influence of infinite money. For the first time in her life she could disregard price-marks entirely.
Being a street-car conductor, the poor fellow neither understood women nor was understood by them. He accepted Kedzie's blow with resignation. He helped her down the step, his hand mellowing her arm and finding it ripe. She flung him a rebukeful glare that he did not get. He gave the two bells, and the car went away like a big lamp, leaving the world to darkness and to Kedzie.
She said, "One." The doleful ticket-seller was annoyed at the tautology of passing him a nickel and saying, "One!" He shot out an angry glance with the ticket, but he melted at sight of Kedzie's lush beauty, recognized her unquestionable plebeiance, and hailed her with a "Here you are, Cutie." Kedzie was not at all insulted.
In fact, if you say the word, I might manage it so that they would pay you something to cancel your contract." This was quite too cruel. It crushed the tears out of Kedzie's eyes, and she had no fight left in her. She simply stammered: "No, thank you. Don't bother. Well, good-by." "Good-by, Anita good luck!" He let her make her way out of his office alone. She had to skirt the studio.
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