It was not until almost an hour later, when the other three girls had left for their homes—left only after they had hung around until the ultimate moment before lunch—that Carroll found himself alone with his little gold mine of data. He bent his head hopefully—
"Were you planning to eat lunch downtown?"
She nodded. "Uh-huh!"
"Suppose we eat together?"
"Scrumptious!" There was no hint of hesitation in her manner. "I've been hoping ever since we met that you'd ask me."
They found a table mercifully secluded in the corner of the main dining room of the city's leading hotel. For once Carroll felt gratitude for the notoriously slow service. He begged her to order—and she did: ordered a meal which contained T.N.T. possibilities for acute indigestion. Carroll smiled and let her have her way—he was amused at her valiant efforts to appear the blasé society woman.
"I really did enjoy our conversation last night, Miss Rogers."
"Oh! piffle! I don't fall for that."
"I did."
"Then why did you beat it so quick?"