less so, the familiar dress accentuating every difference. Against the
flowing black her loveliness shone fair and delicate as a cameo, I thought
of the Princess Ida,

Liker to the inhabitant
Of some far planet close upon the sun
Than our man's earth; such eyes were in her head,
And so much grace and power--
Lived through her to the tips of her long hands
And to her feet.

She had not noticed my entrance, but as I stepped forward, she turned, and
I was again lost in wonder at her marvellous grace. Her beauty seemed a
harmony so vitally perfect that the sight of it was a joy approaching
pain.

I had not been mistaken! She was the rarest thing in human form on this
earth. I was awed and frightened anew at her perfection.

"Why, how did you find your way out here?" she asked with girlish
directness. "I'm not quite ready to go; I must finish my sections for
Prof. Darmstetter."

The Professor--I had guessed his identity--joined us, glancing at me
inquisitively. His spare figure seemed restless as a squirrel's, but
around the pupils of his eyes appeared the faint, white rim of age.

"You are friendt of Mees Veensheep?" he asked. "Looks she not vell? New
York has agreed vit' her; not so?"