"But we'd much rather listen to you and Mr. Creighton," says Vee.
"Hadn't we, Torchy?"

"Uh-huh," says I.

"Quite flattering, I'm sure," puts in Clyde, smilin' sarcastic, while
Auntie shoots a doubtful look at me.

But we hung around just the same, and before ten o'clock Creighton
announces that he must really be going.

"Me too," says I, cheerful. "I'll ride down with you if you don't
mind."

"Oh, charmed!" says Clyde.

It wasn't that I was so strong for his comp'ny, but I'd just annexed
the idea that it might be a good hunch to get a little line on exactly
who this Mr. Clyde Creighton was. Vee don't seem to know anything very
definite about him, outside of the Alicia incident; and it struck me
that if there was a prospect of havin' him in the fam'ly, as it were,
someone ought to see his credentials. Anyway, it wouldn't do any harm
to pump him a bit.

"Pardon me for changing my mind," says Clyde, as we hits the sidewalk,
"but I think I prefer to walk downtown."

"Just what I was goin' to spring on you," says I. "Fine evenin' for a
little thirty-block saunter, too. Let's see, the Plutoria's where