"And yet," returned Allison, "if you are a guest, you can get away any
time you want to, within reasonable limits. If you're entertaining,
you've got to keep it going until they all want to go."

"In that case, it might be better for us if we went to Crosbys'."

"We can do that, too. I think it would be fun, though, to have 'em here.
We need another man in one sense, though not in another."

"I have frequently had occasion to observe," remarked the Colonel, "that
many promising dinners are wholly spoiled by the idea that there must be
an equal number of men and women. One uncongenial guest can ruin a
dinner more easily than a poor salad--and that is saying a great deal."

"Your salad days aren't over yet, evidently."

"I hope not."

The hour of talk had done the Colonel a great deal of good, and he was
quite himself again. Some new magazines had come in the afternoon mail
and lay on the library table. He fingered the paper knife absently as he
tore off the outer wrappings and threw them into the fire.

"I believe I'll go up and work for a couple of hours," said Allison,
"and then we'll go out for a walk."

"All right, lad. I'll be ready."

Even after the strains of the violin sounded faintly from upstairs,
accompanied by a rhythmic tread as Allison walked to and fro, Colonel