He ordered very carefully a meal for us, and took some time to decide whether I should have something to drink or not. He kept tapping the pencil on the waiter's pad and looking at me speculatively, and at last he said:
"No, I guess not this time."
So I got nothing to drink.
It was a fine luncheon, and for the first time I had soft-shell crabs; also for the first time I tasted, and liked, olives. Mr. Hamilton seemed to take a grim sort of pleasure in watching me eat. I don't know why, I'm sure, unless it was because I frankly did not know what most of the dishes were, and I was helplessly ignorant as to which was the right fork or knife to use for this or that dish. I think I ate my salad with my oyster-fork, and I am sure I used my meat-knife for my butter. All these intricate things have always bothered me, and they do still.
I suppose my eyes were still considerably swollen from the crying I had done, and, besides, I had slept very little after that awakening. Mr. Hamilton made me tell him all over again, and in minute detail, just what happened, and when I told him how I cried the rest of the night in 'Mandy's arms, he said:
"Yes, I can see you did," which made me say quickly, I was so anxious to look my best before him:
"I look a fright, I know."
Whereupon he slowly looked at me and said, with a suggestion of a smile:
"You look pretty good to me," and that compensated for everything.
He gave me the hundred dollars while we were in the dining-room, and advised me, with a slight smile, to hide it in "the usual place."