She had not been at her post for many minutes when a taxi-cab stopped atthe apartment-house

　　She had not been at her post for many minutes when a taxi-cab stopped atthe apartment-house, and she was surprised and interested to see herbrother Fillmore heave himself out of the interior,homepage. He paid the driver,and the cab moved off, leaving him on the sidewalk casting a largeshadow in the sunshine. Sally was on the point of calling to him, whenhis behaviour became so odd that astonishment checked her.
　　From where she sat Fillmore had all the appearance of a man practisingthe steps of a new dance, and sheer curiosity as to what he would donext kept Sally watching in silence. First, he moved in a resolute sortof way towards the front door; then, suddenly stopping, scuttled back.
　　This movement he repeated twice, after which he stood in deep thoughtbefore making another dash for the door, which, like the others, came toan abrupt end as though he had run into some invisible obstacle. And,finally, wheeling sharply, he bustled off down the street and was lostto view.
　　Sally could make nothing of it. If Fillmore had taken the trouble tocome in a taxi-cab, obviously to call upon her, why had he abandoned theidea at her very threshold? She was still speculating on this mysterywhen the telephone-bell rang, and her brother's voice spoke huskily inher ear.
　　"Sally?""Hullo, Fill. What are you going to call it?""What am I... Call what?""The dance you were doing outside here just now. It's your owninvention, isn't it?""Did you see me?" said Fillmore,mont blanc pens, upset.
　　"Of course I saw you. I was fascinated.""I--er--I was coming to have a talk with you. Sally..."Fillmore's voice trailed off.
　　"Well, why didn't you?"There was a pause--on Fillmore's part, if the timbre of at his voicecorrectly indicated his feelings, a pause of discomfort. Something wasplainly vexing Fillmore's great mind.
　　"Sally,Fake Designer Handbags," he said at last, and coughed hollowly into the receiver.
　　"Yes.""I--that is to say, I have asked Gladys... Gladys will be coming to seeyou very shortly. Will you be in,fake uggs for sale?""I'll stay in. How is Gladys? I'm longing to see her again.""She is very well. A trifle--a little upset.""Upset? What about?""She will tell you when she arrives. I have just been 'phoning to her.
　　She is coming at once." There was another pause. "I'm afraid she has badnews.""What news?"There was silence at the other end of the wire.
　　"What news?" repeated Sally, a little sharply. She hated mysteries.
　　But Fillmore had rung off. Sally hung up the receiver thoughtfully.
　　She was puzzled and anxious. However, there being nothing to be gainedby worrying, she carried the breakfast things into the kitchen andtried to divert herself by washing up. Presently a ring at the door-bellbrought her out, to find her sister-in-law.
　　Marriage, even though it had brought with it the lofty position ofpartnership with the Hope of the American Stage, had effected nonoticeable alteration in the former Miss Winch. As Mrs. Fillmore she wasthe same square, friendly creature. She hugged Sally in a muscularmanner and went on in the sitting-room.
　　"Well, it's great seeing you again," she said. "I began to think youwere never coming back. What was the big idea, springing over to Englandlike that?"Sally had been expecting the question, and answered it with composure.