exclusion. And she was burdened with the box for the rest of the season!
It was really stupid of her father to have exceeded his instructions:
why had he not done as she told him?... Undine felt helpless and
tired... hateful memories of Apex crowded back on her. Was it going to
be as dreary here as there?

She felt Lipscomb's loud whisper in her back: "Say, you girls, I guess
I'll cut this and come back for you when the show busts up." They heard
him shuffle out of the box, and Mabel settled back to undisturbed
enjoyment of the stage.

When the last entr'acte began Undine stood up, resolved to stay no
longer. Mabel, lost in the study of the audience, had not noticed her
movement, and as she passed alone into the back of the box the door
opened and Ralph Marvell came in.

Undine stood with one arm listlessly raised to detach her cloak from the
wall. Her attitude showed the long slimness of her figure and the fresh
curve of the throat below her bent-back head. Her face was paler and
softer than usual, and the eyes she rested on Marvell's face looked deep
and starry under their fixed brows.

"Oh--you're not going?" he exclaimed.

"I thought you weren't coming," she answered simply.

"I waited till now on purpose to dodge your other visitors."

She laughed with pleasure. "Oh, we hadn't so many!"