“Well,” said Susanna, after a pause in which her very soul rebelled, “it can’t be helped, I suppose!  Did Mr. Fairfax go out with her?”

“He was to take her somewhere for a cup of tea and then he was going home.”

“Going home!  But I’ve just come from there!”

“He thought he’d probably catch you there, I think.  He was anxious to get hold of those plans.”

“Oh, I could cry—­” Susanna began despairingly.  But indeed Miss Perry needed no assurance of that.  “I could cry!” said Susanna again.  “To-day,” she expanded, “has been simply one miserable accident after another!  I hope it’ll be a lesson to me!  Well—­” She broke off short, for Miss Perry, while kind, was human, and was visibly conscious that she had promised her brother and sister-in-law to be at their house in East Auburndale, a populous suburb, long before it was time to put the baby to bed.  “I suppose there’s nothing for me to do but go home,” finished Susanna, discontentedly.

“Accidents will happen!” trilled Miss Perry, blithely, hurrying for her car.

Susanna went thoughtfully home, reflecting soberly upon the events of the day.  If she could but live this episode down, she told herself; but meet and win Mrs. Thayer somehow in the near future; but bring Jim to the point of entirely forgetting and forgiving the whole disgraceful day, she would really reform.  She would “keep lists,” she would “make notes,” and she would “think twice.”  In short, she would do all the things that those who had her good at heart had been advising for the past ten years.

Of course, if the Thayers were resentful—­refused to be placated—­ Susanna made a little wry mouth.  But they wouldn’t be!

Still deep in stimulating thoughts of a complete reformation, Susanna reached home again, crossed the deep-tiled porch with its potted olives and gay awnings, entered the big hall now dim with afternoon shadows.  Now for Jim—!

But where was Jim?

“Mr. Fairfax is home, Emma?”

“Oh, there you are, Mrs. Fairfax!  And us trying and trying to telefome you!  No ma’am, he’s not home.  He left on the three-twenty.  He’d only come out in a rush for some papers, and he had to get back to town to see some one at once.  There’s a note—­”

Susanna sat down.  Her head was splitting, she was hungry and exhausted, and, at the effort she made to keep the tears out of her eyes, a wave of acute pain swept across her forehead.  She opened the note.

If you can find a reliable messenger [said the note, without preamble], I wish you would get those orphanage plans to me at Thornton’s office before six.  I have to meet him there at four.  The matter is really important, or I would not trouble you.  I’ll dine with Thayer at the club.  J.F.  The pretty hallway and the glaring strip of light beyond the open garden door swam suddenly before Susanna’s eyes.  The hand that held the note trembled.