Athalie

The door of the apartment stood ajar and he walked in. Athalie, still

in her evening gown, rose from the sofa before the fire, dropping the

white Angora, Hafiz, from her lap.

"It's so good of you, Clive," she said, offering her hand.

"It's good of you, Athalie, to let me come."

"Let you!" There was a smile on her sensitive lips, scarcely

perceptible.

He dropped coat, hat, and walking stick across a chair; she seated

herself on the sofa, and he came over and found a place for himself

beside her.

"It's been a long time, Athalie. Has it seemed so to you?"

She nodded. Hafiz, marching to and fro, his plumy tail curling around

her knees, looked up at his mistress out of sapphire eyes.

"Jump, darling," she said invitingly. Hafiz sprang onto her lap with a

quick contented little mew, stretched his superb neck and began to rub

against her shoulder, purring ecstatically.

"He'll cover me with long white hairs," she remarked to Clive, "but I

don't care. Isn't he a beauty? Hasn't he seraphic eyes and angelic

manners?"

Clive nodded, watching the cat with sombre and detached interest.

She said, stroking Hafiz and looking down at the magnificent animal:

"Did you have a pleasant evening, Clive?"

"Not very."

"I'm sorry. Your party seemed to be such a very gay one."

"They made a lot of noise."

She laughed: "Is that a very gracious way to put it?"

"Probably not.... Where had you been before you appeared at the

Regina?"

"To see some moving pictures taken in the South American jungle. It

was really wonderful, Clive: there were parrots and monkeys and

crocodiles and wild pigs--peccaries I think they are called--and then

a big, spotted, chunky-headed jaguar stalked into view! I was so

excited, so interested--"

"Where was it?"

"On the middle fork of the upper Amazon--"

"I mean where were the films exhibited?"

"Oh! At the Berkeley. It was a private view."

"Who invited you?"

"Captain Dane."

He looked up at her, soberly: "Who is Captain Dane?"

"Why--I don't know exactly. He is a most interesting man. I think he

has been almost everything--a naturalist, an explorer, a scout in the

Boer War, a soldier of fortune, a newspaper man. He is fascinating to

talk to, Clive."

"Where did you meet him?"

"In the office. Mr. Wahlbaum collects orchids, and Captain Dane looked

up some for him when he was on the Amazon a short time ago. He came

into the office about week before last and Mr. Wahlbaum introduced him

to me. They sat there talking for an hour. It was so interesting to

me; and I think Captain Dane noticed how attentively I listened, for

very often he addressed himself to me.... And he asked Mr. Wahlbaum,

very nicely, if he might show me the orchids which are in the

Botanical Gardens, and that is how our friendship began."