in an evening dress-suit, but Van Bibber would not have
allowed it. So Walters walked over to Delmonico's and took a
table near a window, and said that the other gentlemen would
arrive later. Then he looked at his watch and ordered the
dinner. It was just the sort of dinner he would have ordered
had he ordered it for himself at some one else's expense. He
suggested Little Neck clams first, with Chablis, and pea-soup,
and caviare on toast, before the oyster crabs, with
Johannisberger Cabinet; then an entree of calves' brains and
rice; then no roast, but a bird, cold asparagus with French
dressing, Camembert cheese, and Turkish coffee. As there were
to be no women, he omitted the sweets and added three other
wines to follow the white wine. It struck him as a
particularly well-chosen dinner, and the longer he sat and
thought about it the more he wished he were to test its
excellence. And then the people all around him were so bright
and happy, and seemed to be enjoying what they had ordered
with such a refinement of zest that he felt he would give a
great deal could he just sit there as one of them for a brief
hour.

At that moment the servant deferentially handed him a
note which a messenger boy had brought. It said:

"Dinner off called out town send clothes and things after
me to Young's Boston."

"VAN BIBBER."