"It won't be wasted. We can tell them to give it to some poor person."
"Oh, Alice! You are so—so queer."
"I'd be worse than queer if I sat here and ate while Russ was being robbed of his patent. I should think you'd want to help him. I thought you and he——"
"Alice!" warned Ruth, with a sudden assumption of dignity. But she blushed prettily.
"Oh, you know what I mean. Come on. Don't sit there talking any longer, and raising objections. We've got to hurry."
"Yes, I suppose so. Oh, Alice, I hope nothing happens!"
"So do I."
"I mean to us."
"And I mean to Russ. A distinction without a difference."
The two girls drew on their gloves and left the restaurant. As Ruth had expected, the cashier at the desk looked at them curiously as they paid for the meal they had not eaten. But Alice forestalled any open criticism by saying: