It's a sort of house-warming dinner, and they talked about it and talked about it--and then the girl got her courage up and blurted out the invitation.

And mamma--" Here Mary was once more a victim to incorrigible merriment.
"Mamma tried to say yes, and COULDN'T! She swallowed and squealed--I mean you coughed, dear! And then, papa, she said that you and she had promised to go to a lecture at the Emerson Club to-night, but that her daughter would be delighted to come to the Big Show! So there I am, and there's Mr.Jim Sheridan--and there's the clock.

Dinner's at seven-thirty!" And she ran out of the room, scooping up her fallen furs with a gesture of flying grace as she sped.
When she came down, at twenty minutes after seven, her father stood in the hall, at the foot of the stairs, waiting to be her escort through the dark.

He looked up and watched her as she descended, and his gaze was fond and proud--and profoundly disturbed.

But she smiled and nodded gaily, and, when she reached the floor, put a hand on his shoulder.
"At least no one could suspect me to-night," she said.