A string band was playing a ragtime tune when they entered the restaurant. To Esther's unaccustomed eyes the room with its flowers and many lights was the most wonderful place she had ever seen. She kept close to Micky as he threaded his way through the small tables till he found their own, rather at the end of the room and away from the noisy band. He put Esther into a comfortable chair and himself took her cloak. "You don't mind being left while I go back for June?" he asked hurriedly; "she seems to have got lost." Esther looked after him as he went quickly back down the length of the room. She liked him in evening dress. If only it had been Raymond instead!--she stifled a little sigh; she meant to enjoy herself this evening; she was not going to allow one single despondent thought. June and Micky rejoined her almost at once. "I thought some one had eloped with you," June said laughingly. "Where did you get to? Micky, how hot this room is--I'm just stifling!" She threw off her wrap and snatched up a paper fan from the table. Micky sat down between the two girls. "Miss Shepstone didn't want to see Mrs. Ashton, I rather fancy," he said coolly. He looked at Esther with a slight smile in his eyes. "I believe she was afraid Mrs. Ashton would demand a reason for having had her kind offer so cavalierly refused," he went on banteringly. Esther laughed. "Yes, I believe I was," she admitted. "I'm an awful coward over explaining things to people." "So am I," said Micky drily. He was wondering how he was ever going to explain the most difficult occurrence of his whole life, and if, when he had done so, it would ever be believed. He looked at Esther a great deal during dinner; he had never seen her so animated; her eyes were sparkling, and her cheeks were flushed; she talked a great deal, and was particularly friendly to him; he was quite sorry when it was time to go on to the theatre. As they left the restaurant he noticed that she kept close to him again, and that she looked anxiously round for Mrs. Ashton. "It's all right," he said. "She's upstairs in the gallery." She smiled. She thought he was very quick to understand her. Raymond had never seemed to understand things without an explanation. She wished he had been rather more like Micky in some ways; she wished--she looked up at Micky guiltily; how could she compare the two men?--the one whom she loved, and the other whom she did not even like! They were late, and the curtain had risen when they were shown into their seats. The theatre was dark, and Esther could hardly see her way. She put out her hand with a smothered laugh and felt for Micky's. "I can't see," she said. His fingers closed about hers; such a little hand it felt. He wondered why she was being so kind to him to-night. He did not realise that she was enjoying herself so much that she felt on good terms with the whole world.