This astonishing
thing could not have been better arranged if he had planned it
himself. From what little he had seen of Nutty he gathered that
the latter was not hard to make friends with. It would be a simple
task to cultivate his acquaintance. And having done so, he could
renew negotiations with Elizabeth. The desire to rid himself of
half the legacy had become a fixed idea with Bill. He had the
impression that he could not really feel clean again until he had
made matters square with his conscience in this respect. He felt
that he was probably a fool to take that view of the thing, but
that was the way he was built and there was no getting away from
it.
This irruption of Nutty Boyd into his life was an omen. It meant
that all was not yet over. He was conscious of a mild surprise
that he had ever intended to go to bed. He felt now as if he never
wanted to go to bed again. He felt exhilarated.
In these days one cannot say that a supper-party is actually given
in any one place. Supping in New York has become a peripatetic
pastime. The supper-party arranged by Nutty Boyd was scheduled to
start at Reigelheimer's on Forty-second Street, and it was there
that the revellers assembled.
Nutty and Bill had been there a few minutes when Miss Daisy
Leonard arrived with her friend.
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