"No, no, no!" she exclaimed. "Only, it isn't what _I_ think that matters." "That's the only thing in this case that does matter," he returned. "You wait until you know Blake," she answered. "Of course, if any one is to quit here, it is I," he said. "You'd better stay where you are," she answered. "I know a lot of other places just like this." "Well, I can find them, can't I?" She laughed--a contagious little laugh. "I'm not so sure," she replied. "You don't think much of my ability, do you?" he returned, somewhat nettled. She lifted her eyes at that. "If you want to know the truth," she said, "I do. And I've seen a lot of 'em come and go." He reacted curiously to this unexpected praise. His color heightened and unconsciously he squared his shoulders. "Thanks," he said. "Then you ought to trust me to be able to find another lunch-place. Besides, you forget I found this myself. Are you going to have an eclair to-day?" She nodded and started to rise. "Sit still; I'll get it for you." Before she could protest he was halfway to the counter. She sat back in her chair with an expression that was half-frown and half-smile. When he came back she slipped a nickel upon the arm of his chair. "What's this for?" he demanded. "For the eclair, of course." "You--you needn't have done that." "I'll pay my own way, thank you," she answered, her face hardening a little. "Now you're offended again?" "No; only--oh, can't you see we--I must find another place?" "No, I don't," he answered. "Then that proves it," she replied. "And now I'm going back to the office." He rose at once to go with her. "Please to sit right where you are for five minutes," she begged. He sat down again and watched her as she hurried out the door. The moment she disappeared the place seemed curiously empty--curiously empty and inane. He stared at the white-tiled walls, at the heaps of pastry upon the marble counter, prepared as for wholesale. Yet, as long as she sat here with him, he had noticed none of those details. For all he was conscious of his surroundings, they might have been lunching together in that subdued, pink-tinted room where he so often took Frances. He started as he thought of her. Then he smiled contentedly. He must have Frances to lunch with him in the pink-tinted dining-room next Saturday. CHAPTER VI TWO GIRLS