The Flirt

and, as by a tacitly recognized and habitual house-rule, so disposed themselves as to afford the most agreeable isolation for the younger daught

ura, after crisply declining an urgent request from Hedrick to play, had disappear

affectation of profound reverie; and his back (all of him that was plainly visible in the hall light) tauntingly close to a delicate foot which would, God w

. She was very quiet; and there was a wan sweetness about her, an exhalation of wistfulness. Cora, in the evening, was more like a rose than ever. She was fragrant in the dusk. The spell she cast was an Undine's: it was not to be thought so exquisite a thing as she could las

of irritation on the part of one of the passing automobiles, gadding for the most part silentl

by the moonligh

anjos r

by the moonlight

arkies

s would injoy it

ht an'

the evening BY-Y-

imed Corliss. "That's as it use

old house has many m

, so

en. My mother and I lived far down the street. A big apartment-house stands there now, I no

volunteered Hedrick, no

n that the name had been once or twice emphasized by the yout

"Ray Vilas has only been here abou

end of yours

ck, and returned to silence

stars are to-night,"

porch; bending toward Corliss, and speaking toward him and away from Hedrick in as lo

d strong. I love iron." She moved her arm caressingly upon the railing. "I love i

very little c

in you, Mr. Cor

e collar was lifted perceptibly from his coat, as if b

red Corliss in a low v

out yoursel

a sigh of pleasure parted her lips as he spoke-"there is noth

this!" The lovely voice was all the richer for the pain that shook it n

own, yo

Everything. Tell me wh

ca

es you th

nswer that. You un

h with a sound murmurous of delight

d, finally, "

went on, slowly. "A lonely traveller

find that they speak

ame, almost

as you

I,'" she echoed,

es

panion watched her keenly in the dusk, and whatever the reciprocal symptoms of emotion he may have exhibited, they were far from

k in her chair again, and b

, haven't you, Mr. Corliss?"

e or twice. I spend a greater

e is

fringe o

live in

sounded in his voice.

ely, after a pause; then answered herself, after ano

s beautifu

e: What do y

of time on the

ili

and turquoises and rubies,

yachting ove

th my crew-

is really a y

e called anythi

lors are Ital

ito upon his temple,

hinese!" he mu

politans," s

sashes and earri

ars earrings an

't tell me things! Don't you see? I want to know what life is! I want to know of strange seas, of strange

fade e

"Before the fading have

s there was in hers) which implied that all the time they were really talking of thing

ittle snap of her teeth. "I

, but you were

e front window. She was working a hurdy-gurdy up and down this neighbourhood all afternoon." He turned gen

" she said to Corliss hurriedly, as upon a su

y. But, however tragic the cry for justice she uttered there, it certainly was not prolonged; and the almost instantaneous quickness of her reappea

s into Mr. Corliss's hand with a fleeting touch of her finger-tips upon his palm. "Of

within, commanding i

, looking neither to the right nor, to the left, went

of cheerful readiness to proceed upo

untered diplom

with you. Why can't you

been compla

k!" said Mr

erence to Laura was poor work, he knew. He hung his head

Cora say I bee

what you've been doing,"

t sitting on the ste

not to repeat the text of accusation. "

me severe, and his sire's

the porch," said t

aid about Ray Vila

a leaf in his book, gave a mediocre imitation of an austere

n," said the boy acc

ep away from

to mention Ray Vilas

your sist

o know what she

ce; the mother troubled and the father dogged, while the boy rejoiced sternly in some occult tr

my daughter-abou

onse from Cora somewhat lacking in enthusiasm-afforded Mr. Madison unm

loosened the long rapier in the shabby sheath at his side. For, with the closing of the door, he had become a Huguenot gentleman, over forty and a little grizzled perhaps, but modest and unassuming; wiry, alert, lightning-quick, with a wrist of steel and a heart of gold; and he was about to ascend the stairs of an unknown house at

emained in the shad

leather; and fitted it with a tiny padlock and key. She wore the key under her dress upon a very thin silver chain round h

me to me

was written u