Too
bad youth never can realize that it is enough to be young. And with
beauty, and means, and position, and charming frocks! She will grow
philosophical--when it is too late. Meanwhile a little flirtation
would not hurt her and Howard Talbot does not know the meaning of the
word jealousy. Why don't you take her in hand?"
"Not my line. But it seems odd that Talbot should neglect her. She
looks intelligent and she is certainly beautiful."
"Oh, Howard! He is the best of men but the worst of husbands."
Her attention was claimed by the man on her right and at the same
moment Madeleine's had evidently been drawn to the wall of books
behind her. She turned, craned her neck, forgetting her partner.
Then, Masters saw a strange thing. Her eyes filled with tears and
she continued to stare at the books in complete absorption until her
attention was laughingly recalled.
"Now, that is odd," thought Masters. "Very odd."
She felt his keen gaze and laughed with a curious eagerness as she
met his eyes. He guessed that for the first time he had interested her.
X
After dinner the men went into his den to smoke, but before his
cigar was half finished he muttered something about his duty to the
ladies and returned to the parlor. As he had half expected, Madeleine
was standing before the books scanning their titles, and as he
approached she drew her hand caressingly across a shelf devoted to
the poets.
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