III
He kept Miss McGoun after he had finished dictating. He
searched for a topic which would warm her office impersonality
into friendliness.
"Where you going on your vacation?'' he purred.
"I think I'll go up-state to a farm do you want me to have
the Siddons lease copied this afternoon?''
"Oh, no hurry about it.... I suppose you have a great
time when you get away from us cranks in the office.''
She rose and gathered her pencils. "Oh, nobody's cranky
here I think I can get it copied after I do the letters.''
She was gone. Babbitt utterly repudiated the view that he
had been trying to discover how approachable was Miss McGoun.
"Course! knew there was nothing doing!'' he said.
