She was filled with curiosity as to the
thoughts just then in that marvelous brain of his; nor did it
lessen her curiosity to know that never would those thoughts
be revealed to her. What women had he loved? What women had
loved him? What follies had he committed? From how many
sources he must have gathered his knowledge of human nature
of--woman nature! And no doubt he was still gathering.
What woman was it now?
When he lifted his glance from the cigarette, it was to call
the waiter and get the bill. "I've a supper engagement," he
said, "and it's nearly eleven o'clock."
"Eleven o'clock!" she exclaimed.
"Times does fly--doesn't it?--when a man and a woman, each an
unexplored mystery to the other, are dining alone and talking
about themselves."
"It was my fault," said Susan.
His quizzical eyes looked into hers--uncomfortably far.
She flushed. "You make me feel guiltier than I am," she
protested, under cover of laughing glance and tone of raillery.
"Guilty? Of what?"
"You think I've been trying to--to `encourage' you," replied
she frankly.
"And why shouldn't you, if you feel so inclined?" laughed he.
"That doesn't compel me to be--encouraged."
"Honestly I haven't," said she, the contents of seriousness
still in the gay wrapper of raillery. "At least not any more
than----"
"You know, a woman feels bound to `encourage' a man who piques
her by seeming--difficult.
Pages:
959
960
961
962
963
964
965
966
967
968
969
970
971
972
973
974
975
976
977
978
979
980
981
982
983