Harvey proceeded to put his plan into effect at once, with the simple
method of an essentially simple nature. The thing had become
intolerable; therefore it must end.
On the afternoon following his talk with Belle he came home at three
o'clock. Belle heard him moving about in his room, and when she entered
it, after he had gone, she found that he had shaved and put on his best
suit.
She smiled a little. It was like Harvey to be literal. He had said he
was going to go round and have a good time, and he was losing no time.
But in their restricted social life, where most of the men worked until
five o'clock or even later, there were fewer afternoon calls paid.
Belle wondered with mild sisterly curiosity into what arena Harvey was
about to fling his best hat.
But though Harvey paid a call that afternoon it was not on any of the
young women he knew. He went to see Mrs. Gregory. She was at home--he
had arranged for that by telephone--and the one butler of the
neighborhood admitted him. It was a truculent young man, for all his
politeness, who confronted Mrs. Gregory in her drawing-room--a quietly
truculent young man, who came to the point while he was still shaking
hands.
"You're not going to be glad to see me in a minute," he said in reply
to her greeting.
"How can you know that?"
"Because I've come to get you to do something you won't want to do."
"We won't quarrel before we begin, then," she said pleasantly. "Because
I really never do anything I don't wish to do."
But she gave him a second glance and her smile became a trifle forced.
She knew all about Harvey and Sara Lee. She had heard rumors of his
disapproval also. Though she was not a clever nor a very keen woman,
she saw what was coming and braced herself for it.
Harvey had prepared in his mind a summary of his position, and he
delivered it with the rapidity and strength of a blow.
"I know all about the Belgians, Mrs. Gregory," he said. "I'm sorry for
them. So is every one, I suppose. But I want to know if you think a
girl of twenty ought to be over there practically at the Front, and
alone?" He gave her time to reply. "Would you like to have your
daughter there, if you had one?"
"Perhaps not, under ordinary circumstances. But this is war."