Sylvia noted out of the corner of her eye that the address of the
maker, woven into the neckband, was on Fifth Avenue, New York.
The four minutes passed--and the conductor approached Sylvia. "Your
friend's coming back, ain't he?" he asked, with the tolerant,
good-natured respect natural for the vagaries of expensively dressed
young men who wore overcoats made on Fifth Avenue. Sylvia, who had met
the young man but once before, when Jerry had introduced him as an
old friend, was a little startled at having a casual acquaintance so
publicly affixed to her; but after an instant's hesitation, in which
she was reflecting that she positively did not even remember her
"friend's" name, she answered, "Oh yes, yes, I suppose so--here he is
now."
The young man bounded up on the back platform panting, holding his hat
on with one hand, a large box of candy in the other. Sylvia glanced at
the name on the cover. "You didn't go all the way to _Button's!_" she
cried.
He nodded, breathless, evidently proud of his feat, and when he caught
his breath enough to speak, explained, "Yepp,--it's the only place in
this bum town where you can get Alligretti's, and they're the only
kind that're fit to eat" He tore open the box as he spoke, demolishing
with ruthless and practised hands the various layers of fine paper
and gold cord which wrapped it about, and presented the rich layer of
black chocolates to Sylvia.
Pages:
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263