you're really a man of the world if you don't know that every
girl has a time in her life when she's positive she's divinely
talented for the stage! It's the only universal rule about women
that hasn't got an exception. I don't mean we all want to go on
the stage, but we all think we'd be wonderful if we did. Even
Mildred. Oh, she wouldn't confess it to you: you'd have to know
her a great deal better than any man can ever know her to find
out."

"I see," he said. "Girls are always telling us we can't know
them. I wonder if you----"

She took up his thought before he expressed it, and again he was
fascinated by her quickness, which indeed seemed to him almost
telepathic. "Oh, but DON'T we know one another, though!" she
cried.

"Such things we have to keep secret--things that go on right
before YOUR eyes!"

"Why don't some of you tell us?" he asked.

"We can't tell you."

"Too much honour?"

"No. Not even too much honour among thieves, Mr. Russell. We
don't tell you about our tricks against one another because we
know it wouldn't make any impression on you. The tricks aren't
played against you, and you have a soft side for cats with lovely