here in the Cote, will you?"

"It was at the Grant."

"I did not see Eileen, but of course I was busy. Was she alone? We had a
nice luncheon--grilled pork chops and country gravy. The gravy was
good--no lumps. It made me think of yours."

"My gravy is not always lumpy," she said with a frown. "It just happened
that way the last two times because I was called to the telephone while I
was making it."

"Oh, sure, that's all right."

He carefully adjusted her chair at the table, and drew his own close
beside it, pulling his plate and silverware half-way around the table
from where Eveley had placed them.

"You look sweeter than ever, to-night, Eve. But I hope the gravy is not
lumpy."

"She wore a black dress and white gloves, and a black hat."

"Eileen did? Was it a new dress?"

"No, the one with you."

"Sure enough, I believe she did. A georgette dress, beaded in front.
Quite pretty. But there was a rip in her glove. She showed it to me
herself. She said she did it on the car, but it looked like an old rip to
me."

"And after luncheon you went away in her car, didn't you?"

"Her uncle's car. Just for a short run through the park, and then she
dropped me at the office. Quite a pleasant woman. She was so polite to
me, and treated me with such gentle deference. It was quite a change. It
made me think of you."

Eveley put down her fork. "Who was it?"

"Bartlett's niece from San Francisco. Visiting here. He had promised to
take her for luncheon, but at the last minute Graves came in and they
were busy, so he turned her over to me."

"I do not see why you are always the one to take their nieces and
daughters out for luncheon. This is the fourth time in two months. I
believe you do it on purpose. Why should they always pick on you?"

"Partly because of my beauty, perhaps, and my charming manners as well as
my generally winsome demeanor in the presence of ladies. I suppose Eileen
also informed you that this niece is Mrs. Harmon Delavan, and has three
children in addition to a husband."

"Oh, Nolan, how you do burble along. I didn't bring you here to discuss
Bartlett's relatives. Now get down to business. How can we adjust the
honeymooners and the father-in-law--though honestly I think he is great
fun myself, and would a whole lot rather live with him than with Dody.
Only he does not fit in with the honeymoon scheme of life."

"Well," said Nolan dreamily, "why don't you marry him, and bring him up
here?"