Mrs. Abbott kissed the singed brand it had been her mission to
snatch in the nick of time and detained her in conversation with
unusual empressement. Madeleine responded with an excessive
politeness, and Mrs. Abbott learned for the first time that sweet
brown eyes could glitter as coldly as her own protuberant orbs when
pronouncing judgment.

Madeleine remained for two hours, bored and disgusted, the more as
Masters' name was ostentatiously avoided. Even Sally Ballinger, who
kissed her warmly, told her that she looked as if she hadn't a care
in the world and that it was because she had too much sense to bother
about men!

She had never been treated with more friendly intimacy, and if she
went home with a headache it was at least a satisfaction to know that
her proud position was still scandal-proof.

She wisely modified her first program and drifted back into
afternoon society by degrees; a plan of defensive campaign highly
approved by Mrs. McLane, who detested lack of finesse. The winter was
an unsatisfactory one for Madeleine altogether. Society would not
have bored her so much perhaps if that secret enchanting background
had remained intact. But her intercourse with Masters was necessarily
sporadic. Her conscience had never troubled her for receiving his
visits, for her husband not only had expressed his approval, but had
always urged her to amuse herself with men. But she felt like an
intriguante when she discussed her engagement lists with Masters, and
she knew that he liked it as little. His visits were now a matter for
"sandwiching," to be schemed and planned for, and she dared not ask