"Oh, here you are at last! Where on earth have you been?"
"In the kitchen and dining-room, so far," says I.
"Kitchen—dining-room!" says he. "Oh! you have been into the restaurant—not alone, I hope."
"Oh, yes," says I; "there was plenty of company; but the cooking is enough to try a person."
"Why, did you order refreshments?"
"Refreshments were offered to me," says I, "and I accepted them, as a free-born American woman has a right to do at her country's table."
"What are you talking about?" says Cousin Dempster, almost angry. "What is that in your hand?"
"A bit of paper that the young man gave me as I came out," says I.
"But you should have given this up," says he, turning red.
"What for?" says I.