"And _you'll_ come?" "Just watch me!" "Ezra, are you happy?" "That depends on Jones." "Oh, isn't it exciting?" "I have the ring in my pocket--" "But touch wood, won't you?" "Freddy?" "Yes--" "What's the matter with getting some forget-me-nots and mailing them to Jones in an envelope?" "All right, I'll attend to it. Eighteen ninety-two Eighth Avenue, isn't it?" "Be sure it _is_ forget-me-nots, you know. Don't mix up the language of flowers, and send him one that says: 'I'm off with a handsomer man,' or, 'You needn't come round any more!'" "Oh, Ezra, Eleanor is really getting quite worked up!" "So am I!" "Wouldn't it be perfectly splendid if--Switch off quick, here's aunt coming!" "Mayn't I even say I love you?" "I daren't say it back, Ezra--she's calling." "But _do_ you?" "Yes, unfortunately--" "Why unfortun--?" Buzz-buzz-swizzleum-bux-bux!--Aunt had cut us off. However, short as my talk with Freddy had been, it brightened my whole day. Late the same afternoon I went back to Doctor Jones. I was prepared to find him uplifted, but I hadn't counted on his being maudlin. The fellow was drunk, positively drunk--with happiness. His tongue ran on like a mill-stream. I had to sit down and have the whole Pullman-car episode inflicted on me a second time. I was shown the receipt-slip. I was shown the telegram from Eleanor. I was shown with a whoop the forget-me-nots! Then he was going on Saturday? I asked. He said he guessed it would take an earthquake to keep him away, and a pretty big earthquake, too!... Oh, it was a great moment, and all the greater because I was tremendously worked up, too. I saw Freddy floating before me, my sweet, girlish, darling Freddy, holding out her arms ... while Jones gassed and gassed and gassed.... I left him taking phenacetin for his headache. III