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 tions without a single alteration, the more readily because he was invariably at a loss as to what to order in restaurants. No amount of experience had seemed to improve him in this respect.

Soon he was amazed to discover that they were conversing together, dealing with commonplaces, to be sure, based on the news of the day, but assuredly conversing. Morris was careful to introduce no more personalities. Ambrose could see that the man felt sensitive about the encounter of the afternoon and had bound himself to be more cautious in the future. Presently the waiter returned with food and they began to eat together, always a means of bringing two people into close relationship. If Ambrose listened more than he spoke, at any rate he was more than monosyllabic in his replies to the information that Morris was a Republican and a Congregationalist. He had never, his memory reminded him, thought much about the tariff before, but he was as vehement as his new friend in his attack on free trade.

While they were talking Ambrose suddenly be came aware that Denis Blair, an old newspaper acquaintance, was standing by his side, greeting him.

How's the play doing, Ambrose? Denis inquired.