taxicab, and told the man to drive to the restaurant of the hour. She was
very neatly and nicely dressed in a tailor-made costume for which she had
just paid twice as much as a native New York woman would have paid. In
fact she was an essentially neat and nice little person. They talked both
at once like two children about all the people at home, until they were
actually seated at table, and lunch was ordered. Then Riatt made up his
mind he must take the plunge.

"Dolly," he said, "do I look as if something tremendous had just
happened?"

"Don't tell me you've invented a submarine, or something?"

"No, this is something of a more personal nature."

"Oh, Max, you've fallen in love?"

A waiter rushing up with rolls and butter suggested that Madame probably
preferred fresh butter to salted, before Riatt answered: "No, that is
just what I haven't done--and that's the secret, Dolly. I'm not a bit in
love, but I am engaged to be married."

"Max! But why if--"

"I'll tell you on the second of March. It's a good story. You'll enjoy
it, but for the present, my dear, you must just accept the fact that I am
engaged, that I am neither wildly elated nor unduly depressed."

Miss Lane had grown extremely serious. "Who is she?" she asked.