“Why, certainly,” said the landlady, again smiling, though quite seriously.

“I thank you,” said John, with dignity.  “And, second,” he continued—­“I want your assurance that my extreme confusion and awkwardness on the occasion of our meeting later were rightly interpreted.”

“Certainly—­certainly,” said the landlady, with the kindliest sympathy.

“I am grateful—­utterly,” said John, with newer dignity.  “And then,” he went on,—­after informing you that it is impossible for the best friend I have in the world to be with me at this hour, as intended, I want you to do me the very great honor of dining with me.  Will you?”

“Why, certainly,” said the charming little landlady—­“and a thousand thanks beside!  But tell me something of your friend,” she continued, as they were being served.  “What is he like—­and what is his name—­and where is he?”

“Well,” said John, warily,—­“he’s like all young fellows of his age.  He’s quite young, you know—­not over thirty, I should say—­a mere boy, in fact, but clever—­talented—­versatile.”

“—­Unmarried, of course,” said the chatty little woman.

“Oh, yes!” said John, in a matter-of-course tone—­but he caught himself abruptly—­then stared intently at his napkin—­glanced evasively at the side-face of his questioner, and said,—­“Oh yes!  Yes, indeed!  He’s unmarried.—­Old bachelor like myself, you know.  Ha!  Ha!”

“So he’s not like the young man here that distinguished himself last night?” said the little woman, archly.

The fork in John’s hand, half-lifted to his lips, faltered and fell back toward his plate.

“Why, what’s that?” said John, in a strange voice; “I hadn’t heard anything about it—­I mean I haven’t heard anything about any young man.  What was it?”

“Haven’t heard anything about the elopement?” exclaimed the little woman, in astonishment.—­“Why, it’s been the talk of the town all morning.  Elopement in high life—­son of a grain-dealer, name of Hines, or Himes, or something, and a preacher’s daughter—­Josie somebody—­didn’t catch her last name.  Wonder if you don’t know the parties—­Why, Mr. McKinney, are you ill?”

“Oh, no—­not at all!” said John:  “Don’t mention it.  Ha—­ha!  Just eating too rapidly, that’s all.  Go on with—­you were saying that Bert and Josie had really eloped.”

“What ’Bert’?” asked the little woman quickly.

“Why, did I say Bert?” said John, with a guilty look.  “I meant Haines, of course, you know—­Haines and Josie.—­And did they really elope?”

“That’s the report,” answered the little woman, as though deliberating some important evidence; “and they say, too, that the plot of the runaway was quite ingenious.  It seems the young lovers were assisted in their flight by some old fellow—­friend of the young man’s—­Why, Mr. McKinney, you are ill, surely?”

John’s face was ashen.

“No—­no!” he gasped, painfully:  “Go on—­go on!  Tell me more about the—­the—­the old fellow—­the old reprobate!  And is he still at large?”