"Is she a friend of yours?"

"Never saw her before to-night."

"Then you must be one out of a thousand."

The girl laughed merrily.

"In that case," she said, "we ought to know each other, shouldn't
we?"

"If we began by thinking so well of each other," returned Waymark,
smiling, "we should not improbably suffer a grievous disappointment
before long."

"Well, _you_ might. You have to take my generosity on trust, but I
have proof of yours."

"You're an original sort of girl," said Waymark, throwing away the
end of his cigar. "Do you talk to everybody in this way?"

"Pooh, of course not. I shouldn't be worth much if I couldn't suit
my conversation to the man I want to make a fool of. Would you
rather have me talk in the usual way? Shall I say--"

"I had rather not."

"Well, I knew that."