"GOODNESS gracious, Ruth!" said Bettina. "Surely it can't be half-past five already!"
"Yes, it is, Bettina. Exactly that!" said Ruth, glancing at her tiny wrist watch. "But Bob won't be home till six, will he?"
"No, but I want to have dinner ready when he arrives. You see, as I told you before, I simply shouldn't have gone to Mary's this afternoon. My curtains are down and my rugs are up, and my house isn't an attractive place for a man to come home to, to say the least. And then to come straight from a party and give Bob a pick-up lunch instead of a full meal, will be——"
"The last straw? What had you planned for lunch?"
"Well, I have some soup all made, ready to reheat. Then I think I'll have banana salad, tea, and hot baking-powder biscuits."
"De-licious!" said Ruth, with a Teddy-fied grin. "I believe I'll invite myself to stay!"
"Good! You can make the salad while I'm mixing the biscuits. I also have some chocolate cookies, and I'll open a jar of canned peaches——"
"And I'll be so bright and scintillating that old Bobbie won't even miss the curtains and the rugs!"
That night Bettina served: