"Gosh!" he murmured. "I wish I
could go, too."
He was roused from his bitter introspections presently by the ringing
of the telephone. To his amazement Shirley Sumner was calling him!
"You're a wee bit surprised, aren't you, Mr. Cardigan?" she said
teasingly.
"I am," he answered honestly. "I had a notion I was quite persona non
grata with you."
"Are you relieved to find you are not? You aren't, you know."
"Thank you. I am relieved."
"I suppose you're wondering why I have telephoned to you?"
"No, I haven't had time. The suddenness of it all has left me more or
less dumb. Why did you ring up?"
"I wanted some advice. Suppose you wanted very, very much to know
what two people were talking about, but found yourself in a position
where you couldn't eavesdrop. What would you do?"
"I wouldn't eavesdrop," he told her severely. "That isn't a nice
thing to do, and I didn't think you would contemplate anything that
isn't nice."
"I wouldn't ordinarily. But I have every moral, ethical, and
financial right to be a party to that conversation, only--well--"
"With you present there would be no conversation--is that it?"
"Exactly, Mr. Cardigan."
"And it is of the utmost importance that you should know what is
said?"
"Yes."
"And you do not intend to use your knowledge of this conversation,
when gained, for an illegal or unethical purpose?"
"I do not.
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