"I should love to see a good game.

You ask him to, Dot! He'll do it for you." But Dot sat silent, her fingers straining against each other, her eyes fixed straight before her, seeing yet unseeing, as one beneath a spell.
There was a momentary pause.

The room was full of the harsh babel of men's voices.

The drinks were being distributed.
Suddenly a voice spoke out above the rest.

"Here's to the new manager! Good luck to him! Bill Warden, here's to you! Success and plenty of it!" Instantly the hubbub increased a hundredfold.