"Well," said Miss Winthrop, "he is a gentleman, and he gave the strongest proof of it when he quietly and modestly withdrew after achieving a success that would have turned any one's head, and that ought to have secured him full recognition." "I told you he was a gentleman," said Christine, briefly, "and I consider myself a judge;" and then their voices passed out of hearing. Dennis, having arranged everything so that he could place his hands readily upon it, found that he had half an hour to spare. He said to himself: "Miss Ludolph is wrong. I shall leave the house for a short time. I am a most unromantic individual; for, no matter what or how I feel, I do get hungry. But I am sure Miss Brown's coffee and sandwiches would choke me. I have already swallowed too much from her to care for any more, so here's for a restaurant." Miss Winthrop hastened through her toilet in order that she might come down and speak to Dennis while he was alone. She wished to thank him for his course and his vindication of the truth, and to assure him that she both respected him and would treat him as a true gentleman. She went into the back parlor, but he was not there; then she passed to the dining-room, but found only servants clearing away and preparing for the grand supper of the evening. In quick alarm she asked, "Where is Mr. Fleet?" "Is it the man in the back parlor, mum? He's just after goin' out." "Oh, girls!" exclaimed Miss Winthrop, rushing upstairs, "Mr. Fleet has gone." And there was general consternation. CHAPTER XXIII THE REVELATION The toilets of the young ladies were nearly completed, but, without waiting to add another touch, all hastened to the place where they had left Dennis. One of the colorless young ladies appeared upon the scene with a shawl around her bare shoulders, and a great deal of color on one cheek, and none on the other as yet; but this slight discrepancy was unnoted in the dire calamity they feared. Many were the exclamations and lamentations. "Why, the people will be here in fifteen minutes," said Miss Winthrop, in a nervous tremor. "Did he leave no word?" asked Miss Brown of the servants. "No word, mum," was the dismal echo. "What shall we do?" they said, looking at one another with blank faces; but none could answer. "I do hate such proud, freakish people. There is no managing or depending on them," said Miss Brown, spitefully. Miss Winthrop bit her lips to keep from saying to her hostess what would be more true than polite. There was a flash of anger in Christine's dark blue eyes, and she said, coldly: "I imagine that you have finished the business this time, Miss Brown. But I confess that I am greatly surprised, for he said I could depend upon him for to-night." "So you can," said Dennis, coming in behind them. "I am sorry you have had this needless alarm. But the fact is, I am a plain, ordinary mortal, and live in a very material way."