As they walked up Charing1 Cross Road, he pointed2 out the Crabtree, and referred to the fact that at one time he had frequented it regularly. She stopped to look at its white-and-gold frontage. In enamel3 letters on the windows were the words: "Table d'hôte, 6 to 9, 1/6."
"Is it a good place?" she asked.
"The best in London—of that kind."
"Then let us dine there; I have often wanted to try a vegetarian4 restaurant."
Richard protested that she would not like it.
"How do you know? If you have been so often, why shouldn't I go once?" She smiled at him, and turned to cross the street; he hung back.
"But I only went for economy."
"Then we will only go for economy to-day."
He dangled5 before her the attractions of the French restaurant in Soho, but to no purpose. He was loth to visit the Crabtree. Most probably Miss Roberts would be on duty within, and he felt an inscrutable unwillingness6 to be seen by her with Adeline.... At last they entered. Looking through the glass doors which lead to the large, low-ceiled dining-room on the first floor, Richard saw that it was nearly empty, and that the cash-desk, where Miss Roberts was accustomed to sit, was for the moment unoccupied. He led the way in rather hurriedly, and selected places in a far corner. Although it was scarcely beginning to be dusk, the table electric lights were turned on, and their red shades made glimmering7 islands of radiance about the room.
Richard kept a furtive8 watch on the cash-desk; presently he saw Miss Roberts take her seat behind it, and shifted his glance to another quarter. He was preoccupied9, and answered at random10 Adeline's amused queries11 as to the food. Between the soup and the entrée they were kept waiting; and Adeline, Richard being taciturn, moved her chair in order to look round the room. Her roving eyes stopped at the cash-desk, left it, and returned to it. Then a scornful smile, albeit12 scarcely perceptible, appeared on her face; but she said nothing. Richard saw her glance curiously13 at the cash-desk several times, and he knew, too, that Miss Roberts had discovered them. In vain he assured himself that Miss Roberts was not concerned in his affairs; he could not dismiss a sensation of uneasiness and discomfort14. Once he fancied that the eyes of the two girls met, and that both turned away suddenly.
When the dinner was over, and they were drinking the coffee for which the Crabtree is famous, Adeline said abruptly,—
"I know someone here."
"Oh!" said Richard, with
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