"Why, I didn't know you were such an epicure," says Sadie. "Me either," says I; "but I'd never let myself loose before. Have some more _pulley_ from the _carrousell_ and help yourself to the--the other thing." "Shorty, tell me how you managed it," says she. "I've been taking lessons by mail," says I. "You're a dear to do it, anyway," says she. "Just think of the figure I'd cut coming here by my lonesome. It's bad enough at the hotel, with only Mrs. Prusset. And I've been wanting to come for weeks. What luck it was, finding you to-day!" "Say, don't run away with the idea that I'm makin' a day's work of this," says I. "I'm havin' a little fun out of this myself. There's worse company than you, y'know." "And I've met a heap of men stupider than Shorty McCabe," says she, givin' me the jolly with that sassy grin of hers, and lettin' go one of those gurgly laughs that sounds as if it had been made on a clarinet. It was just about then that I looks up and finds Pinckney standing on one foot, waitin' for a chance to butt in. "Why, professor! This is a pleasure," says he. "Hello!" says I. "Where'd you blow in from?" Then I makes him acquainted with Sadie, and asks him what it'll be. Oh, he did it well; seemed as surprised as if he hadn't seen me for a year, and begins to get acquainted with Sadie right away. I tried to give her the wink, meanin' to put her next to the fact that here was where she ought to come out strong on the broad A's, and throw in the dontcher-knows frequent; but it was no go. She didn't care a rap. She talked just as she would to me, asked Pinckney all sorts of fool questions, and inside of two minutes them two was carryin' on like a couple of kids. "I'm a rank outsider here, you know," says she, "and if it hadn't been for Shorty I'd never got in at all. Oh, sure, Shorty and I are old chums. We used to slide down the same cellar door." S'elp me, I was plumb ashamed of Sadie then, givin' herself away like that. But Pinckney seemed to think it was great sport. Pretty soon he says he's got some friends over at another table, and did she mind if he brought 'em over. "Think you'd better?" says she. "I'm the Mrs. Dipworthy of the 'Drowsy Drops,' you know, and that's a tag that won't come off." "If you'll allow me," says he, "I'll attend to the tag business. They'll be delighted to meet you." "Say," says I, soon as he'd left, "don't be a sieve, Sadie. Just forget auld lang syne, and remember that you're travelin' high." "They've got to take me for what I am, or not at all," says she. "Yes, but you ain't got no cue to tell the story of your life," says I. "That's my whole stock in trade, Shorty," says she.