"
Tavernake felt in his pockets and remembered that he had only
thirty shillings with him.
"Here, carry my purse," she said carelessly. "We are going
downstairs to the smaller restaurant. I have been traveling
since six o'clock, and I am starving."
"But how about my clothes?" Tavernake objected. "Will they be
all right?"
"It doesn't matter where we are going," she answered. "You look
very well as you are. Come and let me put your tie straight."
She came close to him and her fingers played for a moment with
his tie. She was very near to him and she laughed deliberately
into his face. Tavernake held himself quite stiff and felt
foolish. He also felt absurdly happy.
"There," she remarked, when she had arranged it to her
satisfaction, "you look all right now. I wonder," she added,
half to herself, "what you do look like. Something Colonial and
forceful, I think. Never mind, help me on with my cloak and come
along. You are a most respectable-looking escort, and a very
useful one."
Although Tavernake was nominally the host, it was Elizabeth who
selected the table and ordered the supper. There were very few
other guests in the room, the majority being down in the larger
restaurant, but among these few Tavernake noticed two of the
girls from the chorus at the Atlas. Elizabeth had chosen a table
from which she had a view of the door, and she took the seat
facing it. From the first Tavernake felt certain that she was
watching for some one.
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