“I’m ashamed,” said the hostess, “of my shortage of men. Marlow was summoned back to New York last night, by business, quite unexpectedly, and Mr. Dupont telegraphed me this afternoon that he was detained there.”
“It’s curious,” said Dorothy. “Mr. Rivington and my brother came on Tuesday expecting to stay for a week, but they had special delivery letters yesterday, and both started for New York. They would not tell me what it was.”
“Mr. Stirling received a special delivery, too,” said Leonore, “and started at once. And he wouldn’t tell.”
“How extraordinary!” said the hostess. “There must be something very good at the roof-gardens.”
“It has something to do with headwears,” said Leonore, not hiding her light under a bushel.
“Headwear?” said a man.
“Yes,” said Leonore. “I only had a glimpse of the heading, but I saw ‘Headwears N.G.S.N.Y.’”
A sudden silence fell, no one laughing at the mistake.
“What’s the matter?” asked Leonore.
“We are wondering what will happen,” said the host, “if men go in for headwear too.”