CHAPTER II

MR. SOMERS


It was nearly midnight when Steele came, and with him was a man I had
never seen before, and whom I assumed to be the Mr. Somers I had heard
about.

And it was. As Steele entered, he cast his eye around for Vicky, and
saw her at the bridge table down at the end of the room. Her back was
toward us, and she was so absorbed in the game she did not look round,
if, indeed, she heard the noise of their arrival.

The two men stopped near the group I was with and Steele introduced
Mr. Somers.

A little curiously I looked at him, and saw a large, self-satisfied
looking man wearing an expansive smile and expensive apparel. Clothes
the very best procurable, jewelry just inside the limits of good
taste--he bore himself like a gentleman, yet there was an unmistakable
air of ostentatious wealth that repelled me. A second look made me
think Mr. Somers had dined either late or twice, but his greetings
were courteous and genial and his manner sociable, if a little
patronizing. He seemed a stranger to all present, and his eye roved
about for the charming hostess Steele had told him of.

"We'll reach Miss Van Allen presently." Steele laughed, in answer to
the glance, "if, indeed, we dare interrupt her game. Let's make
progress slowly."