CHAPTER XIII 

"How this came about I don't even quite know," Tallente remarked, an hour or so later, as he laid down the menu and smiled across the corner table in the little Soho restaurant at his two companions. 

"I can tell you exactly," Nora declared. "You are in town for a few days only, and I want to see as much of you as I can; Susan here is deserting me at nine o'clock to go to a musical comedy; I particularly wanted a sole Georges, and I knew, if Susan and I came here alone, a person whom we neither of us like would come and share our table. Therefore, I made artless enquiries as to your engagements for the evening. When I found that you proposed to dine alone in some hidden place rather than run the risk of meeting any of your political acquaintances at the club, I went in for a little mental suggestion." 

"I see," he murmured. "Then my invitation wasn't a spontaneous one?" 

"Not at all," she agreed. "I put the idea into your head." 

"And now that we are here, are you going to stretch me on the rack and delve for my opinions on all sorts of subjects? is Miss Susan there going to take them down in shorthand on her cuff and you make a report to Dartrey when he comes back to-morrow?" 

She laughed at him from underneath her close-fitting, becoming little hat. She was biting an olive with firm white teeth. 
Is is returning the next day?
Where are they?
Where is it?
How many people are there?
How many men?
How many women?
Are they sitting in a booth?
Where are they sitting?
What had Tallente been holding?
Is Susan going to be with Nora the whole night?
Where is she going?
Where did Tallente not want to eat?
How long will he be in town?
Where was he thinking of eating?
what time is Susan leaving?
How does Nora's hat fit?
How might Susan take notes?
Where?
Who did they not want to share a table with?
What is Nora eating?
Dartrey
make a report to Dartrey when he comes back to-morrow
a restaurant
 in the little Soho restaurant
Soho
the little Soho
three
at his two companions
one
he laid down the menu and smiled across the corner table in the little Soho restaurant at his two companions. 
two
 two companions
no
corner table
in the corner
 the corner
the menu
as he laid down the menu
no
Susan here is deserting me at nine o'clock to go to a musical comedy; 
a musical comedy
to go to a musical comedy
at the club
any of your political acquaintances at the club
a few days
You are in town for a few days only
alone in a hidden place
 When I found that you proposed to dine alone in some hidden place rather than run
nine o'clock
 Susan here is deserting me at nine o'clock
close-fitting
close-fitting, becoming little hat
in shorthand
 is Miss Susan there going to take them down in shorthand
on her cuff
on her cuff
a person who they didn't like
 a person whom we neither of us like
an olive
She was biting an olive