"Mrs. Appleton, may I introduce Mr. Norris, who has come here as a new

citizen. Apart from other considerations, we are grateful to anybody

that swells the census, aren't we?"

"So glad!" she murmured. "Mr. Percival must bring you to my lawn-party

next week."

But even while Norris expressed his thanks, Dick's eyes wandered, until,

with a cheerful start, he caught his companion's arm.

"There she is, Ellery," he said. "This way."

Norris knew in his heart that he was waiting for that summons, and he

turned and followed as Percival began a slow progress through the crowd

toward that uncompromising stiff-lined bench of the kind that Mr. Early

affected, where sat the girl like a cameo, beside a woman somewhat older

than herself.

The younger woman lifted her eyes and caught from afar the greeting of

the advancing men. That there should be no sudden illumination, no swift

blush in her nod of recognition, gave Dick a slight feeling of

irritation. He had regarded a little polite display of delight as in

some way his right. But if she was undemonstrative, she had the virtues

of her failing, for there was a certain serenity even in the broad curve

with which her hair clung to her temples, and in the over-crowded room

her smile was as refreshing as a draft from a cool spring. Both of these

women were marked by a repose of manner which distinguished them from

the eager crowd that was pushing toward the latest new apostle. It was

the elder who put out a welcoming hand.

"Ah, Dick," she said, "you are at home at last. How good it is to see

you! When did you come?"

"Last night. Mother sent me over here to-day with the promise that I

should see you--and Madeline." His eyes traveled to the girl beyond.

"And this, Mrs. Lenox, Miss Elton, is my good friend, Norris. You

already know that we were lovely together in college, and in life we

hope not to be divided. You'll be good to him, won't you?"

In Mrs. Lenox's greeting there was that mixture of kindliness with

shrewd instant analysis that becomes a habit with women of the world,

and Norris stiffened with fresh realization that he was raw and

unaccustomed to her suave atmosphere. He would have liked to be his best

self before Percival's friends, and he felt like an oyster. Even the

gentle eyes of Miss Elton seemed to measure him. Fortunately they

thought chiefly of Dick, and when did Dick's facile tongue fail him?




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