claimed. "Alone? So am I. Got in this
morning and found Janet had a dinner on for those infernally noisy
friends of hers. Got something to think over, so thought I'd come out
here. This is really luck as I was going to hunt you up tomorrow.
Let's sit here. I want to talk."

He had led the way to a table in a remote corner, secluded, so far. He
beckoned the head waiter, who agreed that it should remain secluded.
Then he asked Clavering to order the dinner, and, folding his arms,
stared out of the window, his face sagging once more. He was still a
young man, not more than forty-five, but in spite of his love of
outdoor sport he showed a more consistent love of eating and drinking
in flabby muscles and pouches under the eyes. It was an amiable,
rather weak but stubborn face that had been handsome in youth when his
eyes were bright and clear skin covered firm muscles, and it would be
handsome again when years had compelled him to diet and his already
faded hair had turned white; his features were regular and his figure
well-knit under its premature accumulations.

He produced a flask from his pocket when the waiter had discreetly
turned his back, and their ice-water might have passed for cold tea.

"Think I'll come to the point," he said. "You know me well enough not
to mind anything I say."

Clavering glanced up from his oysters in alarm. "There's just one
question I won't discuss," he said sharply.

Oglethorpe stared. "You don't mean to say you're interested in her?
So much the better! And it strikes me you can't have any objection to
discussing her with me. I'm her father, ain't I?"

"Her father--are you talking of Janet?"

"Who else? I'm worried as the devil. Have been ever since I got in
this morning. I'd telegraphed I was coming, and when I got to the
house Molly told me that mother wanted to see me at once and I posted
down there. It was about Janet, and you know more about it than I do."

"I suppose I know what you mean. But it turned out all right. She
happened to meet me, not some man who might have annoyed her. Of
course she shouldn't have taken such a risk, but; what can you do with
these flappers? They're all in league together and you might as well
let them go their little pace. It won't last. They'll soon be older,
and I don't suppose you intend to play the heavy father and lock her
up."

"No, but I'd like damn well to get her married. Mother told me a
pretty tale. It seem