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"I'm a dilettante."

"I see. Ah! Strawberry shortcake! Now how did you know that was my favorite dessert, Madame Hostess? By the way, I was very much interested in the glimpse I caught of your crest, on your automobile, Mr. Levinson. I got very much interested in the whole subject when I was hunting up the Harrison crest sometime ago—a boar's head——"

Evelyn choked into her glass of water. Joe had to glare at her severely. How he adored her; warm, laughing, absurd, as she hadn't been for so long. How close they were, in their imperative need of each other.

"I hope you'll forgive me for running away so early," said Hartley, after he had refused coffee for fear it would keep him awake. "But before I knew I was to have the pleasure of this very delightful occasion I arranged with Miss Hazel Fosby to run over our duets for 'Pinafore,' and I don't like to disappoint her. Very happy to have met you, sir!" And he archly and daringly sang:

"Farewell, my own!"

very high, as he shook hands with Evelyn.

"Boil your sugar and water until it spins to a thread, and then you have J. Hartley Harrison's voice," Evelyn said. "You see, I've learned to read cookbooks, Ralph."

Joe took Effa back to Westlake, and stayed to answer Kate's eager questions. There was no hurry.