“Boil them in oil, I suppose.”
“Well, anyhow, that’s more like. I’m thinking of something terrible.”
“Be sure and tell me when you decide,” he laughed, and passed on to be presented to distinguished strangers by Mrs. De Lincum who aided Mrs. Gerald in receiving.
The talk was stimulating. Lester was always at his ease intellectually, and this mental atmosphere revived him. Presently he turned to greet Berry Dodge, who was standing at his elbow.
Dodge was all cordiality. “Where are you now?” he asked. “We haven’t seen you in—oh, when? Mrs. Dodge is waiting to have a word with you.” Lester noticed the change in Dodge’s attitude.
“Some time, that’s sure,” he replied easily. “I’m living at the Auditorium.”
“I was asking after you the other day. You know Jackson Du Bois? Of course you do. We were thinking of running up into Canada for some hunting. Why don’t you join us?”
“I can’t,” replied Lester. “Too many things on hand just now. Later, surely.”
Dodge was anxious to continue. He had seen Lester’s election as a director of the C. H. & D. Obviously he was coming back into the world. But dinner was announced and Lester sat at Mrs. Gerald’s right hand.
“Aren’t you coming to pay me a dinner call some afternoon after this?” asked Mrs. Gerald confidentially when the conversation was brisk at the other end of the table.