The other women were gossiping at the end of the long room.
"You are fond of books!" he said abruptly.
She had not noticed his reappearance. She was startled and exclaimed
passionately, "I loved them--once! But it is a long time since I have
read anything but an occasional novel."
"But why? Why?"
He had powerful gray eyes and they magnetized the truth out of her.
"My husband thinks it is a woman's sole duty to look charming. He
was afraid I would become a bluestocking and lose my charm and spoil
my looks. I brought many books with me, but I never opened the cases
and finally gave them to the Mercantile Library. I have never gone to
look at them."
"Good heaven!" He had never felt sorrier for a woman who had asked
alms of him in the street.
She was looking at him eagerly. "Perhaps--you won't mind--you will
lend me--I don't think my husband would notice now--he is never at
home except for breakfast and dinner--"
"Will I? For heaven's sake look upon them as your own. What will you
take with you to-night?"
"Oh! Nothing! Perhaps you will send me one tomorrow?"
"One? I'll send a dozen. Let us select them now."
But at this moment the other men entered and she whispered
hurriedly, "Will you select and send them? Any--any--I don't care
what.
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