“I need cheering up! Won’t you go to supper with me?” he asked as they passed out of the theatre. His invitation was addressed to both Ben and Ruth, but Ben, with motives which Ruth understood only too well begged off. “You know I have to report for rehearsals tomorrow morning, if you don’t mind I’ll run along.” He evidently thought that Terry would like to be alone with Ruth, and Ruth, realizing his mistake, was yet too timid to protest, even had she not secretly desired to be alone with Terry. She had never gone to supper with a man alone. It would be an adventure, and the fact that she loved the man even though he did not know or care, made it even more thrilling. She bethought herself of her costume and wished that she were in evening clothes. “I think I’d better take you some place near home,” said Terry. “If we use a cab we can save time, and there won’t be so many people downtown and we’ll be served quicker. I feel a bit guilty about keeping you out late.” “I’m not a child,” said Ruth, pouting. “I know you’re not, but you are—you’ll always be one, I hope.” She was about to ask why, but they were entering a cab now and she did not ask. She wanted to ask where they were going, but she did not ask that either. She found herself with Terry afflicted with a strange inability to talk. They rode almost in silence to Fourteenth Street and entered a most disappointing place. Ruth’s idea of supper after the theatre was a place of soft lights and music with beautifully dressed women and flowers, and sparkling wine. She didn’t want to drink the sparkling wine herself or even to wear the beautiful gowns, but she wanted to see them. The place they entered was a low ceiled, dark paneled room with no music visible or audible. There were white spread tables, but the women around them were far from beautiful, the men undistinguished in the extreme—matrons on the heavy order with men who were quite obviously, even to Ruth’s untrained gaze, their lawful spouses. Both men and women were giving more attention to their food, than to their companions and they were drinking—beer. “It’s quiet here and we can talk,” said Terry, quite oblivious to Ruth’s disappointment, but when they were seated he did not talk. “Tell me about the new comedy you’re writing,” said Ruth, remembering the axiom that it is always tactful to talk to a man about his own work. “No; I want to forget my work and myself. Let’s gossip. Tell me about Gloria’s husband.” In this Ruth thought she detected the interest of a jealous suitor.