Both Thorndyke and Crane when they were together desired to keep Constance Maitland out of their conversation, but by one of those contradictory and involuntary impulses which cannot be accounted for, her name always came up between them. This time it was by Crane's saying, after a while:
"Have you seen Miss Maitland lately?"
"I dined there night before last," answered Thorndyke.
Crane knew that Constance Maitland's favourite form of entertaining was at little dinners, which were perfection in the way of guests and service. He had never been asked to one of them, and thought gloomily that after Constance's very plain speaking to him at their last interview his chance of being invited was thin to attenuation.
"Was that the night that fellow Hudgins from Texas dined there?" asked Crane, who had not taken Constance's sound advice to cultivate reticence.
"Yes, and I never saw a better dinner-man than Hudgins, nor was ever at a more agreeable dinner."
"Bosh! Hudgins?"
