"Home, now. California, the day after tomorrow."
"California!"
Robert explained that all his uncle's realty holdings were on the Pacific Coast. His mother, too, was there. What with one thing and another, his presence out West was imperative.
"I shall return in two months for a quest of quite another sort," he added, significantly.
"Walk a few blocks towards the Subway with me," said Pryor, "and I'll show you one of the high lights of our low life."
As they drew near the Grand Central Palace, the streets grew thick with people. Traffic along Lexington Avenue was suspended and a cordon of New York's "finest" was drawn up in front of the Palace, with night sticks polished to a turn.
Robert and Mark Pryor had just reached the outskirts of the crowd, when several imposing motor cars drew up in front of the exhibition building.
"What on earth's the matter now?" said Robert. "Has our Anglo-American Prince of Wales returned?"
A very handsome young man with two richly dressed young ladies alighted from the first car, whilst the moving picture brigade went into immediate action and the crowds thundered out cheers.
"It's the first day of the great Allied Armies' Bazaar," said Pryor. "The Duchess of Keswick and Mr. and Mrs. Claude Fontaine are to open the affair at three o'clock. There they go now."