The Innocent Adventuress

se he could not follow at once. He could not leave New York. He had wo

drew. She was accustomed to Italian precipitancy-and nothing in Barry Elder

he blue eyes. If he really wanted to see her at all, if he had any memory

Angelina's days ran a

on of wheels upon the bridge, the slam of a door and the flurry

ng her pulses confessed that he might come that day; every nig

ght pinch of suspense, a hammering racket of pulse-beats-succeeded by an empty, sickening, sliding-down-to-nothingness sensation when she realized t

t tall, slim figure . . . dreams of the dance, of the gay, half-teasing voice, the bright ey

gnorina. . . . D

arded his image. Through all the swiftly developing experiences

's light, straight hair she saw those close-cropped brown curls. . . . She held lo

l he did

pe to despair. She told hers

se of indifference she listened intently for the sound o

gh with hope. She said that she did not care whether

Leila Grey

as with Jo

in came down to see Ruth every day and the four young people with other couple

ncurrence with propinquity that kept

vid as his red roadster. It was as unabashed and clamant as his motor horn.

, for it was not the desire of her heart, and she was uneasy about it. She did not want to be involved

h . . . independent. . . . If one has never tasted Ast

young girl's protection

his indifference came

elina had taken herself downstairs to the piano and to a prospective call from J

she asked such nutty questions. . . . But she seems to take it all for granted. That ought to hold Jo

n, there isn't

convicted of ancient sentiment by the fr

rmed her that Mrs. Blair, in revolt, was moved to murmur, "After

, y

fair-mindedness turned her scrutiny upon past days to ev

erent from the rest of us-but it would t

, Ruth sho

's beginning to think-

Lucy's mind, to this young girl's visit. Lucy, herself, had been taken abroad in those early d

fairy godmother, to make a benevolen

unter. She was not going to alarm Johnny Byrd and implicate Bo

t take her chances.

h Old World sentiment and she may be such a little nut as to think-but she doesn't act as if she really cared about it. It isn't just a pose. . . . Do you imagine," s

he world or young men. I rather gathered," Mrs. Blair made out, "that the family had a plain daughter

n the ambush they wouldn't howl bloody murde

ul she turned out such a little peach. . . . When she goes back and marries some fat spaghetti it will give her som

her mind occupied by her young

y," sa

oss the rustic bridge and brought up sharply on the driveway below. With

here's t

another. Sweet mount he's bringing you, Ruth. Didn'

u he do

. . Where's t

ria Angelina

o her room and tell Maria Angelina Santonini

," Ruth sang down, just as a small figure emerged from

ere, Signor," said M

her. One grew to suspect, between times, that anything so enchanting didn't really exist-a

liked girls-devilish cunning games, with the same old trumps up their sleeves-when they wore

ironment? Or in herself? He

ome familiar sign that would resolve all

young person he had so rudely designated as a

be off before that horse comes an

elina shook h

uld not go. In my country one

w. And in my country one joll

nconvinced Maria Angelina stood by her r

n-would let you," he argued.

cousin, but my mother who wou

an boarding school. Come on, Maria A

startled Maria Angelina. Her eyes opened as if he had set off a rocket-and something very

my mother and see if it pers

right, al

Johnny Byrd turned off the g

ou think your mother would mind letting you sit in the

ria cast a laughing look at him as she stepped back into

pon the veranda without. Through those same windows were visible the bridge players' heads. Other windows opened upon the veranda in

ejaculate

sti, are together," said Maria Angelina. "I am in the next room with

n-you mean your sister and that-that toasted one sh

ave seen ea

ncreasing curiosity at the young girl by his side. . .

he declared, beginning to strum upon the

remained looking

She added, bright mischief between he

ing random chords,

mes it's dark and greasy and throws bombs. . . . Sometimes it's

d-bound head, the shadowy dark of the ey

just the prett

g," said Maria An

u're a bab

It had a twinge of terror-terror lest

ut a year and three mo

id," grinn

b Martin does

nuts on that particular ki

think that

gether. Why not? I like

mpsed that indefinite irresponsibility of these stran

la Grey," said she sudden

us stolidity of look, as if a protection against some unfo

said he, "did

rl persisted, "i

na Leila Grey was born with her wisdom teeth cut. . . . At th

ns. "You mean that she did not-did not fin

"You're there, Ri-Ri-absolutely there," he vowed. "But where, I wonde

y. "And I saw her the first evening in

ll for her. If she'd been expert enough she could have gathered him in.

s the reason that she was not-not expert, as you say-

's that little song of yours-the one you were going to teach m

let me sit do

crabbing

the place in

. "Why, you have me tied hand and foot. I'm afraid to mov

o this talk and she felt herself upon the brink of revelations. . . . Perhaps

la Grey was at the restaurant with a y

Barry

splendid indifference of her v

a play or something. Not a darn bed in it. Oh, well," said Johnny hastily, with a glance at the girl'

her hands fluttering the pages, "perhaps he is the one tha

? Ba

rately, "become recently more des

. "But seems to me I did hear-something about an uncle shuffling off and l

s. Blair was joking with him," she reverted, "because he was not going to that York

ohnny negligently.

coming to the dance at the Ma

ry trains in an older crowd. . . . Seems to me," said Johnny, turning to look at her out of bright b

enly to play. "And I thought it was so romantic-about him and this Leila Grey.

Johnny definitely. "I want you to look your darndest-put it all over those flappers.

Ri-Ri-let's get

t now fo

think no

Maria A

, sang, while Johnny Byrd stared fixedly down at her, angrily,

t now fo

think no

lf that she would forge