Reassured, his wife laughed nervously.  Crossly she said: 

“How you frightened me!” Quickly she said:  “Oh, Robert won’t forget about that.”

A determined, defiant expression came into her husband’s face as he went on: 

“You can just bet he won’t while I have the power of speech.  He won’t come that ‘I—­can’t—­recall’ gag on me.”

“Of course not,” said Fanny soothingly.

Anxiously he continued: 

“I’ve calculated exactly what I’d do with that extra fifty.  I reckoned that after we’d paid the chauffeur and for the gasoline and things we’d have about twenty left, so I figured we’d be able to leave a Hundred and Fortieth Street and move down town to a Hundred and Twenty-fifth.  Then I’d pictured old McLoughlin’s face when he’d heard I’d got another raise and what he’d look like every morning when I drove to the office in my own car.  And I’d picked out the places we’d go to for the next four Sundays—­yes, and a lot of other things too.”

“How did you find the time?”

“I had plenty of time last night, after we went to bed and you kept me awake by doing your grand combined kicking and contortion act.  You take it from me—­every time you get one of your restless fits, you smash all world’s records for landing sudden and violent kicks in unexpected places.”

Fanny laughed good-humoredly.

“Can I help it if I’m a little nervous once in a while?” she said.

“Of course not, and I don’t blame you for it, but that doesn’t give me back my sleep, does it?” Taking out his watch he added:  “I’ve got to skin.  I’ll be a bit late as it is and McLoughlin’s sure to be there waiting for me with a few pleasant words.”

He stooped to kiss his wife.

“Good-bye, dear!” he said.  “Get home early so as to be sure the dinner’s all right, won’t you?”

“Yes, dear.”

Hurriedly he went on: 

“If it’s O.K. about the car, have Virgie’s chauffeur drive you home and leave it in front of the building where the neighbors can get a peek at it.  I’ll arrange about the garage when I get back.”

“Very well.”

Waving his hand, he made his way toward the door: 

“Then good-bye.  If we don’t get that machine now after it being promised to us, after all the figuring I’ve done on it, it’ll be hell, that’s what it’ll be—­just hell!”

He disappeared and Fanny rose from her seat to go in search of her sister.  She looked for her in the adjoining room but she was not there.  Wondering where she could be, she went out into the hall and called: 

“Virgie—­Virgie!”

Virginia entered from the bedroom where she had been busy packing some things.  Running up to her, Fanny said quickly: 

“You know I didn’t mean what I said about leaving him.”

Virginia looked steadily at her without answering.  There was a moment’s pause during which each sister looked at the other, as if trying to read her most secret thoughts.  Finally, the younger one said: