Page 66 (1/2)

July and August and September passed and, in spite of her reserve, Dick

felt that he was co to know little Lena well He had told her all

about himself, his mother, his three-cornered intimacy with Norris and

Madeline, his plans for his own future, and to all she listened,

so eyes, sometimes with a

swift smile of sympathy, in spite of the fact that he and his point of

vieere often puzzling to her And he brought dainties and flowers to

the dingy roohly enjoyed some phases of her acquaintance

with Mr Percival Apart from all other considerations, it was a real

pleasure to prove herself the actress she knew she was She pretended,

when she ith him, that she was a wholly different kind of person

It was fun to do it well and convincingly and deliberately It was

exhilarating

But deeper, far deeper than her histrionic satisfaction lay the hope

that Dick Percival ht be the key to some other kind of life than that

she led; and as the months went by, this hidden intian to irritate her Was he