al aspect of the meal
was concerned, the passenger agent might as well have been dining at the
table of the Olympians. Art, literature, Daudet's latest book, and
Henriette Ronner's latest group of cats, the decorative designs in the
Boston Public Library, and the renaissance of Buddhism in the nineteenth
century--before these topics Brockway went hopelessly dumb. And not once
during the hour was Mrs. Dunham or Gertrude permitted to help him,
though they both tried with charitable and praiseworthy perseverance, as
thus:

_Mrs. Dunham_, in a desperate effort to ignore the Public Library: "I'm
afraid all this doesn't interest you very much, Mr. Brockway. It's so
fatally easy----"

_Fleetwell_, whose opinion touching a portion of the design has been
contravened by Mr. Vennor: "I say, Cousin Jeannette, isn't the Sargent
decoration for the staircase hall--" _et sequentia_, until Brockway
sinks back into oblivion to come to the surface ten minutes later at a
summons from the other side.

_Gertrude_, purposely losing the thread of Priscilla Beaswicke's remarks
on the claims of theosophy to an unprejudiced hearing: "What makes you
so quiet, Mr. Brockway? Tell me about your other adventures with the
school-teachers--after you left Salt Lake City, you know."

_Brockway_, catching at the friendly straw with hope once more reviving:
"Then you haven't forgotten--excuse me; Miss Beaswicke is speaking to
you." And the door shuts in his face and leaves him again in outer
darkness.

In the nature of things mundane, even the most leisurely dinner cannot
last forever. Brockway's ordeal came to an end with the black coffee,
and when he was free he would have vanished quickly if Gertrude had not
detained him.

"You are not going to leave us at once, are you?" she protested.

"I--I think I'd better go back to my 'ancients and invalids,' if you'll
excuse me."

Gertrude was conscience-stricken, and her hospitable angel upbraided her
for having given her guest an unthankful meal. Wherefore she sought to
make amends.

"Don't go just yet unless you are obliged to," she pleaded. "Sit down
and tell me about the schoolma'ams. How far did you go with them?"

"I had to make the whole blessed circuit," he said, tarrying willingly
enough.

"Do you often have such deliciously irresponsible people to convoy?"

"Not often; but the regular people usually make up for it in--well, in
cantankerousness; that's about the only word that will fit it