d long ceased to say anything; Dan thought her a
perfect duenna. "You know you can go late there," she added.

"No, I can't go at all," said Dan. "I don't know them."

"They're New England people," urged Miss Anderson; as if to make him try
to think that he was asked to Mrs. Whittington's.

"I don't know more than half the population of New England," said Dan,
with apparent levity, but real forlornness.

"If you'd like to go--if you're sure you've no other engagement--"

"Oh, I'm certain of that?"

"--we would come for you."

"Do!"

"At half-past ten, then."

Miss Anderson explained to her aunt, who cordially confirmed her
invitation, and they both shook hands with him upon it, and he backed
out of the carriage with a grin of happiness on his face; it remained
there while he wrote out the order for his dinner, which they require
at Wormley's in holograph. The waiter reflected his smile with ethnical
warm-heartedness. For a moment Dan tried to think what it was he had
forgotten; he thought it was some other dish; then he remembered that
it was his broken heart. He tried to subdue himself; but there was
something in the air of the place, the climate, perhaps, or a pleasant
sense of its facile social life, that kept him buoyant in spite of
himself. He went out after dinner, and saw part of a poor play, and
returned in time to dress for his appointment with Miss Anderson. Her
aunt was with her, of course; she seemed to Dan more indefatigable than
she was by day. He could not think her superfluous; and she was very
good-natured. She made little remarks full of conventional wisdom, and
appealed to his judgment on several points as they drove along. When
they came to a street lamp where she could see him, he nodded and said
yes, or no, respectfully. Between times he talked with Miss Anderson,
who lectured him upon Washington society, and prepared him for the
difference he was to find between Mrs. Whittington's evening of invited
guests and the Cabinet ladies' afternoon of volunteer guests.

"Volunteer guests is good," he laughed. "Do you mean that anybody can
go?"

"Anybody that is able to be about. This is Cabinet Day. There's a
Supreme Court Day and a Senators' Day, and a Representatives' Day. Do
you mean to say you weren't going to call upon your Senator?"

"I didn't know I had any."

"Neither did I till I came here. But you've got two; everybody's got
two. And the President's wife receives three times a wee