The questioner was not Ruth, but a man who sat just opposite to them at the table, and while he waited for his order to be filled watched with amused eyes the four gills who were evidently in a new element.  He was not a young man, and his gray hairs would have arrested the pertness of the reply on Marion’s tongue at any other time than this, but you remember that she was not in a good mood.  She answered promptly; “Yes, sir, he says ever so many things.  In fact, he is the most voluminous author I ever read.”

The gentleman laughed.  The pertness seemed to amuse him.

“Didn’t I limit my question?” he said, pleasantly.  “He is voluminous, and what a sensible book he has written.  I wish all authors had given us so much information.  But I meant, is that all he says about hotels?  Doesn’t he justify your friend just a little bit in her expectations?”

“I’m sure I don’t know,” Marion said, amused in turn at the good-natured interest which the elderly gentleman took in the question.  “He has said so much that I haven’t had time to digest it all.  If you have, won’t you please enlighten me as to his wisdom on this subject?” “’Especially one of some style or pretensions,’” quoted the old gentleman, “so Webster adds.  You see I am interested in the subject,” and he laughed pleasantly.  “I have been looking it up, which must be my apology for addressing you young ladies, if so old a man as I must apologize for being interested in girls.  The fact is, I had occasion to talk with a young man yesterday who took the people to task most roundly for that very name, on the ground that they had no right to it—­that it was a misnomer.  I have been struck with the thought that nothing is trivial, not even the name that happens to be chosen for a house where one waits for his dinner,” with a strong emphasis on the word “wait,” which Eurie understood and laughed over.

“Except the remarks that people make about such things,” Marion said, answering the first part of the sentence and bestowing a wicked glance on Ruth.  “They are trivial enough.  Did you agree with the young gentleman?”

“No.  I thought it all over and consulted Webster, as I said, and came to the conclusion that in view of this being a more pretentious house than either of the others they had a right to the word.  Webster doesn’t say what degree of pretension is necessary, you know.”

The lifting of Ruth’s eyebrows at this point was so expressive that all the party laughed.  But the old gentleman grew grave again in a moment, as he said: 

“But the thought that impressed me most was what a very perfect system of faith the religion of Jesus Christ is; how completely it commends itself to the human heart, since the very slightest departure from what is regarded as strictly true and right, when it is done by a Christian (society or individual), is noticed and commented upon by lookers-on; they seem to know of a certainty that it is not according to the Spirit of Christ.”