MRS. ROBERTS: "Indeed it is, Willis. We've been expecting her for
an hour--of course she always comes early--and I'm afraid she's been
taken ill suddenly."

ROBERTS: "Oh, I don't think it's that, my dear."

MRS. ROBERTS: "Oh, of course you never think anything's wrong,
Edward. My whole family might die, and"--MRS. ROBERTS restrains
herself, and turns to MR. CAMPBELL, with hysterical cheerfulness:
"Who came up in the elevator with you?"

CAMPBELL: "Me? _I_ didn't come in the elevator. I had my usual
luck. The elevator was up somewhere, and after I'd pressed the
annunciator button till my thumb ached, I watched my chance and
walked up."

MRS. ROBERTS: "Where was the janitor?"

CAMPBELL: "Where the janitor always is--nowhere."

LAWTON: "Eating his Christmas dinner, probably."

MRS. ROBERTS, partially abandoning and then recovering herself:
"Yes, it's perfectly spoiled! Well, friends, I think we'd better go
to dinner--that's the only way to bring them. I'll go out and
interview the cook." Sotto voce to her husband: "If I don't go
somewhere and have a cry, I shall break down here before everybody.
Did you ever know anything so strange? It's perfectly--pokerish."