You'll let me order dinner? It's part of the
programme."
"Very well," Annesley agreed.
The man nodded to the head-waiter, who had been interested in the little
drama indirectly stage-managed by him. Instead of sending a subordinate,
he came himself to take the order. With wonderful promptness, considering
that Mr. Smith's thoughts had not been near the menu under his eyes,
several dishes were chosen and a wine selected.
"Madame is glad now that I persuaded her not to go?" the waiter could not
resist, and Annesley replied that she was glad. As the man turned away,
"Mr. Smith" raised his eyebrows with rather a wistful smile.
"I'm afraid you're sorry, really," he said. "If I'd come a minute later
than I did, you'd have been safe and happy at home by this time."
"Not happy," amended the girl. "Because it isn't home. If it were, I
shouldn't have told fibs to Mrs. Ellsworth to-night."
"That sounds interesting," remarked her companion.
"It's _not_ interesting!" she assured him. "Nothing in my life is. I
don't want to bore you by talking about my affairs, but if you think we
may be--interrupted, perhaps, I'd better explain one or two things while
there's time.
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