Page 128 (1/1)
"So the er Seaton asked the question of Manella, twirling in his hand an unopened letter she had just given him She nodded in the affirmative He looked at her critically, aeneral appearance He twirled the letter again like a toy in his fingers
"I wonder what it's all about? Do you know?"
Manella shrugged her shoulders with a char air of indifference
"I? How should I know? He is your friend I suppose?"
"Not a bit of it!" and Roger stretched himself lazily and yawned--"He's the friend of nobody who is poor But he's the comrade of everybody with plenty of cash He's as hard as a dried old walnut, without the shred of a heart--"
"You are wrong!" said Manella, flushing up suddenly--"You are wrong and unjust! He is an ugly old man, but he is very kind"
Seaton threw back his head and laughed heartily with real enjoyment
"Manella, oh, Manella!" he exclaiood opinion? Has he made you some pretty compliments, and told you that you are beautiful? Every one can tell you that, my dear! It does not need Mr Senator Gwent's assurance to ely old man is natural--but that you should also think hiazed at hi like jewels under her long black lashes
"You ,"--she said--"It is a pity!"
Her tone was faintly reproachful He sard Mr Senator Gwent as a figure to be reverenced!"--he said--"He's one of the dustiest, driest old dollar-grabbers in the States I gave hirab--but he was too much afraid to take it--"
"Afraid of what?" asked Manella, quickly
"Of shadows!--shadows of coirl, and will sit very quiet, you can co sun, and sit dohile I read the letter--I may have to write an answer--and if so you can post it at the Plaza"
He went before her into the hut, and she followed He bade her sit down in the chair by the ,--she obeyed, and glanced about her shyly, yet curiously The room was not untidy, as she expected it would be without a woman's hand to set it in order,--on the contrary it was the perfection of neatness and cleanliness Her gaze was quickly attracted by the bowl of perpetuallyfluid in the center of the table