"Babette," he began, "I'm going to trouble you with a question, not doubting you will understand that my motives are those of a philosopher whose whole life has been devoted to the study of the human race. May I ask you to state in all sincerity whether you consider apple sauce the essential accompaniment of roast duck?"
"I do not; nor do I care for jelly with venison," she answered readily.
"Admirable! You are clearly no child of convention but an independent thinker! May I smoke? Thanks!"
He drew out his pipe and turned beaming to the glowering Deering.
"There, my boy! Babette is one of us--one of the great company of the stars! Wonderful, how you find them at every turn! Babette, my sister, I salute you!"
"Are you, too, one of the Comrades of Perpetual Youth?" she inquired gravely.
"I am," Deering declared heartily, and they smiled at each other; "but I'm only a novice--a brother of the second class."
"There can be no question of classes in the great comradeship--either we are or we are not."
"Well spoken!" Hood assented, pushing back his chair and crossing his legs comfortably.
"And you--do you and Pierrette think about things the same way?" Deering asked.
"We do--by not thinking," Babette replied. "Thinking among the comrades is forbidden, is it not?"
"Absolutely," Hood affirmed. "Our young brother here is still a little weak in the faith, but he's taking to it splendidly."
"You're letter-perfect in the part," said Hood. "Perhaps you were driven to it? Don't answer if you would be embarrassed by a confession."
The girl pondered a moment; her face grew grave, and she played nervously with the sugar-tongs.
"A man loved me and I sent him away, and was sorry!" The last words fell from her lips falteringly.
"He will come back--if he is worthy of one of the comradeship," said Hood consolingly. "Even now he may be searching for you."
"I was unkind to him; I was very hard on him! And I've been afraid--sometimes--that I should never see him again."
Deering thought he saw a glint of tears in her eyes. She rose hastily and asked with a wavering smile:
"But about Pierrette!" Deering exclaimed despairingly. "If she's likely to come, we must wait for her."
"I rather advise you against it," the girl answered. "I have no idea when she will come back."