"That is very good of you, Miss Ayer," said Mr. Warner, appearing much relieved. "You may go home this afternoon an hour earlier." Again Mr. Warner passed from his incisive, gray-hued sobriety to an expansive geniality. "I know that in these circumstances, ladies like to take time over their toilettes." He smiled at Susannah, a smile more expansive than any she had ever seen on his face; it showed to the back molars his handsome, white, regular teeth. Mr. Cowler called for her in a taxicab at seven and-- * * * * * She heard Mr. Warner's door open and shut. Footsteps sounded in the corridor--that was Mr. O'Hearn's voice. She glanced at her wrist-watch. Half-past nine. The partners had arrived early this morning, of all mornings. They were night birds, all three, seldom appearing before half-past ten, and often working in the office late after she had gone. Susannah stopped mid-sentence a letter which she was tapping out to a widow in Iowa, rose, moved toward the door. At the threshold, she stopped, a deep blush suffusing her face. So she paused for a moment, irresolute. When finally she started down the corridor, Mr. Warner emerged from the door of his own office, met her face to face. And as his eyes rested on hers, she was puzzled by the expression on his smooth countenance. Was it anxiety? His expression seemed to question her--then it flowed into his cordial smile. Susannah was first to speak: "Good-morning, Mr. Warner. May I see you alone for a moment?" "Certainly!" With his best courtliness of manner, he bowed her into his private office. "Won't you have a seat?" Susannah sat down. "It's about--about Mr. Cowler and last night." She paused. "Oh," asked Mr. Warner, carelessly, casually, "did you have a pleasant evening?" "It's about that I wanted to talk with you," Susannah faltered. Suddenly, her embarrassment broke, and she became perfectly composed. "Mr. Warner, I dislike to tell you all this, because I know how it will shock you to hear it. But you will understand that I have no choice in the matter. It is very hard to speak of, and I don't know exactly how to express it, but, Mr. Warner, Mr. Cowler insulted me grossly last evening ... so grossly that I left the table where we were eating after the theater and ... and ... well, perhaps you can guess my state of mind when I tell you that I was actually afraid to take a taxi. Of course, I see now how foolish that was. But I ... I ran all the way home."