s, and _tables d'hote_ within the gates, and I had
also found that outside, and especially within easy reach from the
northern or Fifty-seventh Street gate, were to be found a number of
most cleanly and inviting little places, more or less pretentious, and
under various names, but all ready, willing, and able to serve one a
breakfast, dinner, or luncheon such as would tempt even chronic
grumblers to smile, feast, and come again.

I had breakfasted that morning at one of these comforting places, and
upon leaving it had crossed the street to purchase a cigar from the
stand on the corner, and having lighted it had kept on upon the same
side.

I had meant to recross at the next corner, for half-way between two
streets, stationed beneath some trees upon a vacant lot, was a
bootblack's open-air establishment which I had a mind to patronize. As
I neared the scene, however, and glanced across, I saw that both of
the bootblack's chairs were occupied, and upon a second glance I noted
that one of the occupants was my recent acquaintance, Monsieur Voisin,
Miss Jenrys' friend.

He was busy with a newspaper, or seemed to be, and glancing down at my
feet to make sure they were not too shabby for a morning call, I kept
straight on and turned down Washington Avenue upon its farther or
western side.

I had bought a paper along with my cigar, and as I ran up the steps of
the pretty modern cottage where the two ladies had established
themselves I threw away the one and put the other in my pocket,
wondering as I did so if Monsieur Voisin was also on his way to this
place, and smiling a little, because I had at least the advantage of
being first.

It was so early that the ladies had not yet returned from breakfast,
which they took at a cafe "aroond the corner joost," so the servant
informed me. But I was expected, and I was asked to wait in their
little reception-room, where a sunshade and a pair of dainty gloves
upon a chair, and a shawl of soft gray precisely folded and lying upon
a small table, not to mention the books, papers, and little feminine
knicknacks, gave to the room a look of occupancy and ownership.

I had just unfolded my paper, and was glancing over the headlines upon
the first page, when the two ladies entered, and I dropped my paper
while rising to salute them.

In anticipation of or to forestall a possible call from Monsieur
Voisin, I made haste to get through with the little business in hand,
and obtained from M