“Thayer himself?” Susanna echoed appreciatively.  For old Whitman Thayer, in whose hands lay the giving of contracts far larger than any that had as yet been handled by Jim or his senior partners in the young firm of Reid, Polk & Fairfax, Architects, was naturally an enormously important figure in his and Susanna’s world.  They spoke of Thayer nearly every night, Jim reporting to his interested wife that Thayer had “come in,” or “hadn’t come in,” that Thayer had “seemed pleased,” that Thayer had “jumped” on this, or had “been tickled to death” with that; and the Fairfax domestic barometer varied accordingly.

“Go on, Jim,” said Susanna, in suspense.

“Why, it seems that his wife—­she’s awfully sweet and nice,” Jim proceeded, “is coming into town this afternoon, and she wonders if it would be too much trouble for Mrs. Fairfax to come in and lunch with her and help her with some shopping.”

“Jim, it doesn’t say that!” But Susanna’s eyes were kindling with joy at the thought.  “Oh, Jim, what a chance!  Doesn’t that look as if he really liked you!”

“Liked you, you mean,” Jim said, giving her the letter.  “Now I call that a very friendly, decent thing for them to do,” young Mr. Fairfax went on musingly.  “If you and she like each other, Sue—­”

“Oh, don’t worry, we will!” Mrs. Fairfax was always sure of her touch upon a feminine heart.

“Wonder why he didn’t think of Mrs. Reid or Mrs. Polk?” said Jim.

“Oh, Jim, they are sort of—­stiff, don’t you know?” Susanna returned to her coffee, seasoning Jim’s cup carefully before she added, with a look of naive pleasure that Jim thought very charming:  “You know I rather thought that Mr. Thayer liked me just that one day I saw him!”

“Well, you’ll like her,” Jim prophesied.  “She’s very sweet and gentle, not very strong.  They live right up the line there somewhere.  She rarely comes into town.  Old Thayer is devoted to her, and he always seems—­” Jim hesitated.  “I don’t know,” he went on, “I may be all wrong about this, Sue, but Thayer always seems to be protecting her, don’t you know?  I don’t imagine he’d want to run her up against society women like Jane Reid and Mrs. Polk.  You’re younger and less affected; you’re approachable.  I don’t know, but it seems to me that way.  Anyway,” he finished with supreme satisfaction, “I wouldn’t take anything in the world for this chance!  It shows the old man is really in earnest.”

“He says she’ll be at the office at eleven,” said Susanna.  “That means I must get the ten twenty-two.”

“Sure.  And take a taxi when you get to town.  Got money?  Got the right clothes?”

“Hydrangea hat,” Susanna decided aloud.  “New pongee, and pongee coat hung in careless elegance over my arm.  As the last chime of eleven rings I will step into your office—­”

“I hope to goodness you will!” said Jim, with an anxious look.  “You’ll really get there, won’t you, Sue?  No slips?”