on his finger and whistled to himself. And cryptically he expressed his
glow of gratified fatherliness.

"As smooth as silk," said Sylvester aloud.




CHAPTER III

THE FINEST CITY IN THE WORLD


So Sheila Arundel left the garret where the stars pressed close, and
went with Sylvester Hudson out into the world. It was, that morning, a
world of sawing wind, of flying papers and dust-dervishes, a world, to
meet which people bent their shrinking faces and drew their bodies
together as against the lashing of a whip. Sheila thought she had never
seen New York so drab and soulless; it hurt her to leave it under so
desolate an aspect.

"Cheery little old town, isn't it?" said Sylvester. "Gee! Millings is
God's country all right."

On the journey he put Sheila into a compartment, supplied her with
magazines and left her for the most part to herself--for which isolation
she was grateful. With her compartment door ajar, she could see him in
his section, when he was not in the smoking-car, or rather she could see
his lean legs, his long, dark hands, and the top of his sleek head. The
rest was an outspread newspaper. Occasionally he would come into the