have brought advantage to her. "In less than an hour I must 'beat' to
those 'tall timbers of Harpeth' you mention."

"Speaking of the State of Harpeth, I don't know as you'll be so safe
after all, young friend, if that is any sample of the variety of women
that flower in that classic land of the cotton and the magnolia which
I met at Mrs. Creed Payne's war baby tea the other afternoon," mused
my fine friend as I paid the _garçon_ for the very good tea. "She
is in high-up political circles down there in Old Harpeth and from the
bunch of women she was with I make a guess she is taking an interest
in war contracts. She was with that Mrs. Benton, who pulled off that
spectacular deal for desiccated soups for Greece the other day. My
stomach is too delicate to feed soldiers dried dog and rotten cabbage
melted down into glue in a can, but they may like the idea if not the
soup. Anyway, the woman was a beauty, so don't you let her get you."

"I do not entirely understand you, my dear Madam, and I wish that I
might have many days to talk with you about these American customs," I
said as I put into my pocket the exchange money handed to me by the
_garçon_.

"Well, it is not exactly an American custom I have been putting you
next to, and I guess I'm patriotically glad that you don't entirely
understand. Now, I'm going to put you on the train for Old Harpeth and
kiss you good-bye for your mother. I'm not trusting Frigeda, and she's
lingering. Come on if your train leaves at six o'clock."

And while she spoke, my interesting and fine woman rose and allowed me
to assist her into her gray coat of tweed that was very like to mine.