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The train lurched into lass She licked a spilled drop from an exquisitely delicate knuckle and flashed her eyes in French-actress mode “She was very pretty”

“Marion thought you were, too”

She ham dresses I am usually called more than pretty”

“Actually, she said you were unspeakably beautiful”

“Is that why you didn’t introduce me?”

“I preferred to remind her that she is unspeakably beautiful, too”

Lillian’s pale blue eyes flashed “You don’t pull your punches, do you?”

Bell returned a disar lady-a habit I recorow up Now, tell me about your father’s troubles with his bankers”

“He has no trouble with his bankers,” Lillian shot back She answered so quickly and so vehemently, Bell knehat to say next

“He said he would by winter”

“Only if you don’t catch the Wrecker,” she said pointedly

“But what of this Panic brewing in New York? It started last March It doesn’t appear to be going away”

Lillian answered with sober deliberateness “The Panic, if it re boo halt We’re in the midst of wonderful expansion, but even Father ado on forever”

Bell was again reminded that Lillian Hennessy was more complicated than a coddled heiress

“Does the Panic threaten your father’s control of his lines?”