he fact of his
appearance and his air of being someone of importance, which was so
decidedly Mr. Bennet's air. The other lady, added Mr. Platt to his
speech apologetically, had slightly misrepresented things. She had
accused the girl of impudence and inattention, which had sounded bad.
And in a store of this size.... But when a customer got excited, she
was not always just accurate, yet they could not tell....

Mr. Bennet was most amused by this little dig at his aunt. Arethusa was
vigorous in her defense of Jessie, and her denial that Jessie had been
at all impudent. And her indignation had made her so pretty, with her
flushed cheeks, that Mr. Platt smiled paternally and told her that it
would be all right. Probably she herself might like to stop by and tell
Jessie so? Nothing suited Arethusa better; so with Mr. Bennet in tow,
this pleasant duty was performed, and then once more she sought the
outside.

"Now come go to lunch with me," said Mr. Bennet, as they paused under
the iron and glass porte-cochere for a moment. "It's lunch time," he
added, "and maybe considerably after. I was on my way when I met you."

Arethusa's eyes sparkled at the thought. "But do girls go to lunch
down-town with gentlemen?"

He assured her that they often did, and as Arethusa had no further
scruples of any sort to add, he led the way across the street to the
big Patterson Hotel; the shop where shawls and excitement had been
found was exactly opposite.

Arethusa followed him on into the dining-room, her heart beating such
an excited tattoo against her chest she was very glad that the band on
the little balcony at one end of the room was playing so loudly just
then, else she was quite certain that Mr. Bennet, and even the tall and
imposing head waiter who was so courteously showing them to a table,
would have heard that pounding heart.

It was certainly a Real Adventure.

They were piloted to a spot which Mr. Bennet, from the door-way when
they had first stepped inside, had selected for its attractions, a
little table for two far over in the corner, just enough removed from
the band for the music to be a pleasant accompaniment to the business
of luncheon, instead of an interruption, as it often was when closer to
it. The table held a lighted candle lamp shaded with a soft
rose-colored shade of fluted silk (and not all of the tables boasted
little lamps) which seemed to add most delightfully to the intimacy of
the occasion.

Arethus