Page:Ruth of the U.S.A. (IA ruthofusa00balm).pdf/22

 That jolted Sam Hilton. It did not bring him any rebuke; it simply made him angry that this girl had been dreaming all that time about Gerry Hull instead of about himself.

"Was the Lady Agnes hurt too?" he asked.

"Hurt? No."

"Well, she's come with him." Sam leaned forward and referred to the folded newspaper. Lady Agnes Ertyle, the daughter of the late Earl of Durran who was killed at Ypres in 1915, whose two brothers fell, one at Jutland on the Invincible and the other at Cambrai, he read aloud, is also in the party. He skipped down the column condensing the following paragraphs: "She's to stay at his mamma's house on Astor Street while in Chicago. She's twenty-one; her picture was printed yesterday. Did you see it?"

This was a direct question; and Ruth had to answer, "Yes."

"He's satisfied with her, I should say; but maybe he's come home to look further," Sam said with his heaviest sarcasm. He straightened, satisfied that he had brought Ruth back to earth. "Now I'm going over to see Cady; he'll sign this as it is, I think." Sam put the draft of the contract in his pocket. "He leaves town this noon, so he has to. I'll be all clear by twelve. You're clear for the day now. Have lunch with me, Miss Alden?"

Ruth refused him quietly. He often asked her for lunch and she always refused; so he was used to it.

"All right. You're free for the day," he repeated generously and, without more ceremony, he hurried off to Cady.