lured him to Levuka. "What's Phil Metten's number? D'you mind getting him on the phone for me?"
Ellen dialed the call with trembling fingers and gave over the instrument. Shortly after he hung up, the bell rang and Ellen, answering, heard a cool, alert, confident voice say: "This is Lida Rountree. Is Mr. Jay Rountree there?"
"Your wife," said Ellen to Jay, and slipped into her own little room where she waited to see if he wanted her again. He did not, but departed; and after he was gone, Ellen stayed alone, upset by her excitement at what she had said and its effect upon him. She was glad that she had said it, glad that she had stirred him so. Could his wife, the possessor of that cool, confident voice, put him upon another path?
In spite of knowing that Lida Rountree at Tryston had charmed the Mettens and had served the business cause, Ellen was unable to visualize Jay's wife as an ally of endeavor. Nothing that she had said and nothing that Jay had put into words betrayed her different allegiance, but every instinct screamed it. Ellen Powell and that girl, who had married this boy about to grow up, were completely opposed.
Upon her return to her room, Ellen underwent twinges of doubt of her own declaration. Di was there and was preparing for another foray on business. Di had not received the irrevocable donations pledged to her by Art Slengel when the Metten order should be signed to Slengels, but Di was not despairing about it.
"Sam signed all right," she reported. "Jello did his
