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Siward, inclined to be amused by the duration of the trance into which Plank had fallen, watched the progress of that bulky young e, exchanging trivial views on trivial subjects with Mrs Leroy Mortimer

But her conversation, even when inconsequential, was never wearisome except when she made it so for her husband's benefit Features, person, personality, and teht Japanese slant, the clear olive skin with its rose bloom, the temptation of mouth and slender neck, were always provocative of the audacity in men which she could so well meet with a audacity of her oholly char her early married life, Siward had been very sentimental about her; but neither he nor she had approached the danger line closer than to ood taste And their youthful enchantment had faded so naturally, so pleasantly, that always there had reay understanding which almost invariably led toappeared to be lacking in their rather listless badinage--sohing silence with significance Siward, too, had ceased to be amused at the spectacle of Plank's calf-like infatuation; and Leila Morti that her olive-pink cheeks were stiff, and she relaxed her fixed features with a little shrug that was also so prudently around, she encountered Siward's eyes; and during a moment's hesitation they considered one another with an increasing curiosity that slowly becaence And her eyes said very plainly and wickedly to Siward's: "Oho,an engaged girl who belongs to Howard Quarrier!"

And his eyes, wincing, denying, pretending ignorance too late, suddenly narrowed in vexed retaliation: "Speak for yourself, my lady! You're no retted the pale flash of telepathy There had been so wounded in his eyes; and she had not meant that No; a new charity for the hapless had softened her wonderfully within a fortnight's tinoble, had subdued the brilliancy of her dark eyes, and s Besides, she was not yet perfectly certain what ailed her, never having really cared for any one man before No, she was not at all certain … But in the meanwhile she was very sorry for herself, and for all those who drained the bitter cup thatlips Who knows! "Stephen," she said under her breath, "I didn't mean to hurt you … Don't scowl Listen I have already entirely forgotten the nature of my offense Pax, if you please"