ng, was like clear water on a
thirsty day. One American, even one, coming in that afternoon would have
seemed to Mr. Twist a godsend, a purifier, an emollient--like some
blessed unction dropped from above.

But none appeared; not even Mr. Ridding.

At six o'clock it was quite dark, and obviously too late to go on
hoping. The days in California end abruptly. The sun goes down, and
close on its heels comes night. In the tea-room the charmingly shaded
lights had been turned on some time, and Mr. Twist, watching from the
partly open door of his office, waited impatiently for the guests to
begin to thin out. But they didn't. They took no notice of the signals
of lateness, the lights turned on, the stars outside growing bright in
the surrounding blackness.

Mr. Twist watched angrily. He had been driven into his office by the
disconcerting and incomprehensible overtures of Mr. Wangelbecker, and
had sat there watching in growing exasperation ever since. When six
struck and nobody showed the least sign of going away he could bear it
no longer, and touched the little muffled electric bell that connected
him to Mrs. Bilton in what Anna-Felicitas called a mystical union--Anna
II. was really excessively tactless; she had said this to Mrs. Bilton in
his presence, and then enlarged on unions, mystical and otherwise, with
an embarrassing abundance of imagery--by buzzing gently against her knee
from the leg of the desk.

She laid down her pen, as though she had just finished adding up a
column, and went to him.

"Now don't talk," said Mr. Twist, putting up an irritable hand directly
she came in.

Mrs. Bilton looked at him in much surprise. "Talk, Mr. Twist?" she
repeated. "Why now, as though--"

"Don't _talk_ I say, Mrs. Bilton, but listen. Listen now. I can't stand
seeing those children in there. It sheer makes my gorge rise. I want you
to fetch them in here--now don't talk--you and me'll do the confounded
waiting--no, no, don't talk--they're to stay quiet in here till the last
of those Germans have gone. Just go and fetch them, please Mrs. Bilton.
No, no, we'll talk afterwards. I'll stay here till they come." And he
urged her out into the tea-room again.

The guests had finished their tea long ago, but still sat on, for they
were very comfortable. Obviously they were thoroughly enjoying
themselves, and all were growing, as time passed, more manifestly at
home. They were now having a kind of supper of ices and fruit-salads.