``Oh, I don't know,'' laughed Clay. ``You've lived abroad
yourself; how does it strike you?''

Clay was the first man to enter the drawing-room. He walked
directly away from the others and over to Miss Langham, and,
taking her fan out of her hands as though to assure himself of
some hold upon her, seated himself with his back to every one
else.

``You have come to finish that story?'' she said, smiling.

Miss Langham was a careful young person, and would not have
encouraged a man she knew even as well as she knew King, to talk
to her through dinner, and after it as well. She fully
recognized that because she was conspicuous certain innocent
pleasures were denied her which other girls could enjoy without
attracting attention or comment. But Clay interested her beyond
her usual self, and the look in his eyes was a tribute which
she had no wish to put away from her.

``I've thought of something more interesting to talk about,''
said Clay. ``I'm going to talk about you. You see I've known
you a long time.''

``Since eight o'clock?'' asked Miss Langham.

``Oh, no, since your coming out, four years ago.''

``It's not polite to remember so far back,'' she said. ``Were