er with the Waldorf sandwiches."

"Except that they're expensive," said I. "You must remember you and I
aren't millionaires."

"I've been doing pretty well lately," said he. "I can almost call
myself rich. Please have some lunch, I can afford it, and if you refuse
I'll know it's because----"

I guessed what he might be going to say, so I stopped him.

"Nonsense!" I exclaimed. "But I've run away from Mrs. Stuyvesant-Knox,
and I don't want to be found. If she or her brother should have come to
New York, or if anybody else----"

"I've thought of that," said he, quickly, "but we've no time to waste.
You're starving. If you wouldn't mind my getting you a private dining
room, and sending you in some lunch----"

"But I want you to be with me," I insisted.

He evidently hesitated, but only for a minute. I don't think he's the
sort of man to hesitate long about anything.

"Very well, that's what I'd like best, of course, if you don't mind,"
said he. "I'll go and see to everything, and be back before you can
count sixty, if you do it slowly."

I didn't do it at all, but thought how thankful I was that he had come
to me, for I was sure everything would go right now.

In two or three minutes he came back to take me into a charming little
dining room, where there was no danger that Mrs. Ess Kay or Potter
could pounce upon us, as it was for Mr. Brett and me alone. I shuddered
to think what it must be costing, but his clothes were so exceedingly
good I hoped he hadn't exaggerated about the luck that had come to him.

Naturally I couldn't tell the part of my story which concerned Potter
Parker; but I said that Mrs. Ess Kay wanted me to do things which I
didn't think it right to do, and I couldn't stay in her house even a
day longer.

"I should like to go home," I went on, "but I can't yet, and the only
other thing is to join Miss Woodburn in Chicago. You remember Miss
Woodburn, don't you?"

He said he remembered her very well, had read in the newspapers that
she had left Newport for Chicago, and thought it was a wise idea of
mine to join her.

"I'm glad you think that," said I, "for I want to start to-day; and I
hope you'll tell me how to go, how much money it will be, how long it
takes to get there, and all about it."

He didn't answer for a minute, but sat looking very grave, staring at
his brown hand on the white tablecloth, as if he'd never seen it
before. Then he said:

"Curiously enough, I am going West this