\"Yes!butto-dayhe\'sheretoattendadirectors\'meetingandtheopeningoftheFreeLibraryandTasajaraHall.Isawthewindowsopen,andtheblindsupinhishouseacrosstheplazaasIpassedjustnow.\"
Thestrangerhadbythistimequiteeffectedhiscourteouswithdrawal.\"Good-afternoon,Mr.Peters,\"hesaid,smilinglyliftinghishat,andturnedaway.
Peters,whowasobligedtotakehislegsoffthechair,andhalfrisetothestranger\'spoliteness,herereflectedthathedidnotknowhisinterlocutor\'snameandbusiness,andthathehadreallygotnothinginreturnforhisinformation.Thismustberemedied.
Asthestrangerpassedthroughthehallintothestreet,followedbytheunwontedcivilitiesofthesprucehotelclerkandtheobsequiousattentionsofthenegroporter,Peterssteppedtothewindowoftheoffice.\"Whowasthatmanwhojustpassedout?\"heasked.
Theclerkstaredinundisguisedastonishment.\"Youdon\'tmeantosayyoudidn\'tknowWHOhewas——allthewhileyouweretalkingtohim?\"