ability and imaginative sensitiveness and his surface manners have often
been described as 'too snotty' by delicate souls toward whom Ted
was entirely unconscious of having acted with anything but the most
disinterested politeness. On the other hand a certain even-tempered
recklessness and capacity for putting himself in the other fellow's place
made him one of the few popularly lenient officers to be obeyed with
discipline in his outfit during the war. As regards anything Arty or Crafty
his attitude is merely appreciative--he is finishing up his last year of
law at Columbia.

Johnny introduces Oliver and Ted to everybody but Peter--the three were
classmates--shepherds his flock with a few disarmingly personal insults to
prevent stiffness closing down again over the four that have already got to
talking at the arrival of the two newcomers, and marshals them out to the
terrace where they are to have dinner. Without seeming to try, he seats
them so that Ted, Peter and Oliver will not form an offensive-defensive
alliance against the three who are strangers to them by retailing New Haven
anecdotes to each other for the puzzlement of the rest and starts the ball
rolling with a neat provocative attack on romanticism in general and Cabell
in particular.




II

"Johnny's strong for realism, aren't you, Johnny?"

"Well, yes, Ted, I am. I think 'Main Street' and 'Three Soldiers' are
two of the best things that ever happened to America. You can say it's