dear me suz, he talked enough about you--as what he didn't say. I
could tell. He was thinking hard. He was hit, Laura. I know he was.
And Charlie said he spoke about you again this morning at breakfast.
Charlie makes me tired sometimes," she added irrelevantly.

"Charlie?" repeated Laura.

"Well, of course I spoke to him about Jadwin, and how taken he
seemed with you, and the man roared at me."

"_He_ didn't believe it, then."

"Yes he did--when I could get him to talk seriously about it, and
when I made him remember how Mr. Jadwin had spoken in the carriage
coming home."

Laura curled her leg under her and sat nursing her foot and looking
into the fire. For a long time neither spoke. A little clock of
brass and black marble began to chime, very prettily, the half hour
of nine. Mrs. Cressler observed:

"That Sheldon Corthell seems to be a very agreeable kind of a young
man, doesn't he?"

"Yes," replied Laura thoughtfully, "he is agreeable."

"And a talented fellow, too," continued Mrs. Cressler. "But somehow
it never impressed me that there was very much to him."

"Oh," murmured Laura indifferently, "I don't know."