turn from a fortnight in New York. But when
Violet called up and said, with a reference to a previous engagement
that was shamelessly fictitious:

"Jimmy, you haven't forgotten you're dining with us to-night, have you?
It's just us, so you needn't dress," he answered:

"Oh, no, I've got it down on my calendar all right. Seven-thirty?"

Violet snickered and said: "You wait!--Or rather, don't wait. Make it
seven."

Jimmy was glad to be let off that extra half-hour of waiting. He was
impatient for the encounter with Violet--a state of mind most rare with
him. He meant to wring all the pleasure out of it he could by way of
compensating himself for that other dinner when Violet had decided that
all Rodney's most intimate friends ought really to be told what Rose had
done, in order that they might be scrupulous enough in avoiding subjects
which he might take as a reference to his disgrace.

Violet said, the moment he appeared in the drawing-room doorway, "John
made me swear not to let you tell me a word until he came in. He's
simply burbling. He's out in the pantry now mixing some extra-special
cocktails--with his own hands, you know--to celebrate the event. But
there's one thing he won't mind your telling me, and that's her address.
I'm simply perishing to write her a note and tell her how glad we are."

Jimmy made a little gesture of regret. He'd have spoken too, but she
didn't give him time.

"You don't mean to tell me," she cried, "that you didn't find out where
she lived while you were right there in New York!"

John came in just then with the cocktails and Violet, turning to him
tragically, repeated, "He doesn't even know where she lives!"

"Oh, I'm a boob, I know," said Jimmy. "Give me a cocktail. A telephone's
the driest thing in the world to talk into. But, as I told the other
five ..."

Violet frowned as she echoed, "The other five--what?"

Jimmy turned to John Williamson with a perfectly electric grin.

"The other five of Rose Aldrich's friends--and yours," he said, "who
called me up this afternoon and invited me to dinner, and asked for her
address so that they could write her notes and tell her how glad they
were."

John said, "Whoosh!" all but upset his tray and slammed it down on the
piano, in order to leave himself free to jubilate properly. With solemn
joy he ceremoniously shook hands with Jimmy.

Violet stood looking at them thoughtfully. A little flush of color was
coming up into her face.