The call had been successfully managed. Miss Porter was very pretty, and not so young as Wheaton expected to find her. Raridan left him talking to her and went across to the library, where Mr. Porter was reading his evening paper. Raridan had a way of wandering about in other people's houses, which Wheaton envied him. Miss Porter seemed to take his call as a matter of course, and when her father came out presently and greeted him casually as if he were a familiar of the house he felt relieved and gratified. CHAPTER VII WARRY RARIDAN'S INDIGNATION Raridan stayed in town all summer, and he and Saxton saw a good deal of each other. They drove often to the country club together, and Saxton became, as people said, another of Warry's enthusiasms. Saxton was no idler, and he was conscientiously striving to bring order out of chaos in the interests which had been confided to him. He was annoyed, at first, when Raridan in his unlimited leisure, began to invade his office; but as the confidence and ease of real friendship grew between them he did not scruple to send him away, or to throw him a newspaper and bid him read and keep still. Raridan was the plaything of many moods; Saxton was equable and steady. They sought each other with the old perversity of antipodal natures. Saxton came in unexpectedly on Raridan at The Bachelors' one evening in September. The day had been hot with the final fling of summer, but a thunder shower had cooled the atmosphere, and there stole in pleasantly the drip, drip, of the rain which was now abating. Heat lightning glowed in the west with the luminousness so marked in that region. "It's an infernal, hideous shame," called Raridan fiercely through the dark, recognizing Saxton's step. "Thanks! I'm glad I came," said Saxton, cheerfully. "I'd like to be a cannibal for a few hours," growled Raridan, kicking a chair toward Saxton without rising from the couch where he lay sprawled. Saxton went about quietly, lighting the gas, picking up the books and newspapers which Raridan had evidently cast from him in his rage, and making a seat for himself by the window. "I'm not an expert in lunacy, but I'll hear your trouble. Go ahead." Raridan got up suddenly, his glasses swinging wildly from their cord. "Put out that light," he commanded savagely; and Saxton did as he was bidden. "Do you know what Evelyn Porter's going to do?" demanded Raridan. "I certainly do not. You seem to want to leave me in the dark; and that's no joke." "She's going to be queen of their infernal Knights of Midas ball, that's what." "Your language is spirited, I must say. I think we may classify that as important if true." "It's an outrage; an infernal damned shame!" Raridan went on. "Language unbecoming an officer and a gentleman--"