that Sir Joseph Ward was confident of victory, that Mr. Massey was confident of victory, that their wives were equally sure of victory, that the prohibition party was sure of national prohibition, that labour was sure of surprising gains, that everybody was sure of something or other. And the crowd watching Jimmy pasting this encouraging information cheered and was sure too.
Valerie grew interested in spite of weariness in the intensifying of the human spirit throughout that day. The office glowed with faces leaning over the counter and beaming down upon her and Bob, who had to exert all their good humour to avoid showing annoyance at the constant interruptions.
As she was changing her dress before dinner she heard steps come quickly to her door, and then a low knock. Throwing a wrapper about her she went to it, opened it a little way and peered through. Dane stood there looking ill and unhappy.
“Let me come in,” he pleaded, as if it were a desperate business.
She was not sure whether he was sober or not, and she expected Bob to come to his room at any moment, but she opened the door at once, and then closed it quietly behind him. Dane faced her and looked at her as if he were asking for his life. He was fastidiously shaved, but his clothes were crumpled as if he had lain in them. His white skin showed patches of sallowness and his eyes were haunted by a fear that seemed to come out of them and twist his features. He knew he had been very drunk the night before. And ever since he had been able to think again, he had been tortured by the vague memory that he had seen Valerie somewhere in the night, and that he had been rude to her, and that she was very angry with him.
