to stay."

He thanked her with some unsteadiness, and said: "Where shall we
dine?... And we could be excused from dressing, couldn't we? I can't
bear to lose sight of you, even for an hour."

Of course he had his way there, too. In adjoining booths they did their
telephoning, he to somebody or other about the reservations, she to
leave a message for Florrie Willing. Later they dined in a glittering
refectory, just opened, but already of great renown....

* * * * *

It was an unforgettable meal. So long as she lived, this evening
remained one of the clearest pictures in Carlisle's gallery of
memorabilia. Before the dinner was half over, Canning's immediate
intentions became apparent to her. Doubts and hesitancies, if he had had
any, appeared to recede abruptly from his horizon. With the serving of
dessert, the words were spoken. Canning asked Carlisle to be his wife.
He did it after an endearingly confused preamble, which involved his
family and his natural pride in upholding and continuing the traditions
of his house. Critically speaking, his remarks might have been
considered too long and too much concerned with the Cannings; but of the
genuineness of his love, Carlisle could not entertain a doubt. As she
and mamma had planned it, so it had fallen out. She accepted Hugo with
her eyes while an affectionate servitor offered her some toasted
biscuit. She accepted the biscuit, too.

It was later agreed that the betrothal should not be announced for the
present, except to the parents of the contracting parties. Canning had