in the afternoon, and he would find her alone, he thought, for chances
of calls are not so great in the smaller towns as in the cities; there
is an average to be maintained, and Mrs. Jones or Mrs. Smith does not
receive on days particularized. He was compelled to wait in the parlor
but a moment. She came in, and he saw her for the first time in two
years.

What a gift women have in producing physical effects upon the creature
male, no matter what the woman's status. Mrs. Rolfston came in with a
look of half inquiry on her face and with a presentation of herself
which was perfect in its way. She wore some soft and fluffy dress--a
man cannot describe a garb in detail--with that lace-surrounded
triangular bareness upon the bosom just below the chin which is as
irreproachable as it is telling. There was a relation between the
swing of her drapery and, the movements of her body. She was rich of
figure, and flexile. And she was glad to see Mr. Harlson, and said so.
He was not really embarrassed. The time had passed when that could be
his way. But he was puzzled as to what to say. Some comment he made
upon the quality of the season and upon Mrs. Rolfston's appearance of
good health. Then he entered upon his subject with no link of
connection with preceding sentences. "I but learned to-day," he said,
"that the tie I wear was made by you. All fellows have little fancies,
I suppose. I have, anyhow. I liked this, though I did not know who
made it. My sister told me, and I have come to thank you. Why did you
do it for me?"

That was putting the case plainly enough, certainly, and promptly
enough, but it was not of a nature to trouble Mrs. Rolfston. This was
a clever woman, married ten years, and of experiences which varied.
She even glanced over the visitor from head to heel before she