“What will you drink?” asked the waiter.
“Water,” was Frank’s answer.
“Wouldn’t you like beer?”
“No.”
“Tea or coffee?”
“No.”
The waiter lifted his eyebrows in surprise and departed.
While waiting for the order to be served Merry watched the reflections of Dunton and the blue-eyed girl. The actor was doing his best to make her feel at ease, but it was evident that the experience of dining with a man in a restaurant at that hour of the night was novel to her, and she was nervous and excited, although she made efforts to appear at ease.
The popping of corks and clinking of glasses came from beyond the screen. The laughter of the men and women was of the strained and artificial kind. One man was talking rather loudly in a manner that plainly indicated his tongue felt thick and unwieldy. Occasionally a woman would begin to sing, but her companions cut her off.
“A bad place for the blue-eyed girl!” thought Merry. “I doubt if she ever saw anything like it before.”