The bell had rung. Basine entered. Aubrey looked significantly at his partner. The significance was due to the fact that Schroder seemed likely to ruin the visit. Aubrey announced aloud after the greetings:
"Thought we'd drop in for a private discussion, George."
Henrietta was smiling tenderly at her husband.
"Well, I've got great news for you," Basine exclaimed. The company looked hopefully at him.
"Oh, I'll tell you tonight, little girl."
"If it's good news we'd all like to hear it," Fanny insisted.
Schroder regarded his friend askance. He suspected something. He had left Basine yesterday night and there had been no hint of anything happening. And today being Sunday.... He smiled to himself. "Covering up," he thought. "Husbands are comical." He decided not to press Basine. He had evidently been up to something ... "playing a matinee." He noticed that his friend was trying to change the subject.
"Is it something personal?" Henrietta asked with a frown. "You frighten me, George, when you don't tell me things."
Basine, sitting down, beamed with enthusiasm on the group, on his home.
"Over at the Harveys," Henrietta answered.
"Well," said her husband with an explosive intonation, "I've made up my mind to go after the circuit court. There's a chance next April."
"Going to run for Judge, eh?" Schroder asked with interest.
"Yes sir," Basine laughed. "I just had a session with some of the boys this afternoon and we discussed it."
"Oh, I thought you were at Doris'," Henrietta interrupted.
"I did see her," Basine answered, "but only for a few seconds. I spent most of the afternoon in conference."
"Congratulations," Aubrey spoke. "Mac and I were going to...."
"What do you say if we take a walk, Mrs. Gilchrist," he whispered loudly. "Your husband insists that I get out. And I won't unless you come along."
He laughed good-naturedly until Aubrey smiled, and nodded to his wife.
"It's awfully nice outside," Fanny agreed after a pause during which she looked carefully out of the window. Basine reached for his wife's hand and drew her toward his chair.
"You're looking very well," he smiled at her. A pleasant light came to her eyes. For a moment the youthfulness that people had once admired when they had called her "such an enthusiastic girl" returned to her manner.