"That's my other name—Inviolate."
Alice hesitated, then took a precaution. "Cross your heart and hope to swallow fish-hooks?"
Persis drew an X over her heart, and vowed: "I am full of fish-hooks."
Alice looked up and down the street cautiously, then spoke in a whisper of awesome solemnity: "Well, then, Stowe and I have given mama the slip, and we're going to—to—"
"Get a chocolate-sundae with two spoons!"
Alice bridled with indignation. "Certainly not! We're not children! We are going to run away and be married."
Persis nodded her head gravely. "That was what I was afraid you were going to say. But why this haste?"
"Well, you see, Stowe has just got a job—umm-humm! It's a terribly important post—secretary to Ambassador Tait."
"Ambassador?"
"Yes; the Senator is going to France, and Stowe is to help him out."