Beth Norvell - Page 17/177

"It was exceedingly kind of you to grant such privilege when we have

scarcely even spoken to each other before."

She glanced aside at his grave face, a certain coquettish smile making

her appear suddenly girlish.

"Possibly if you realized the exact cause of my complete surrender you

might not feel so highly flattered," she confessed, shyly.

"Indeed! You mean why it was you consented so easily? Then possibly

you had better inform me at once, for I acknowledge feeling quite

conceited already at my good fortune."

She lifted her eyes questioningly, and for the first time he looked

directly down into their unveiled depths.

"Then I must certainly make confession. What if I should say, I merely

accepted the lesser of two evils--in short, preferred your company to

something I considered infinitely worse?"

"You refer to Mooney?"

She nodded, her dark eyes once again shadowed, her cheeks slightly

reddening beneath his steady gaze.

"Why, I can scarcely feel greatly flattered at being made the subject

of such a choice," Winston acknowledged with frankness. "The very

conception brings me uneasiness in fear lest my presence may be

unwelcome now that Mooney has been safely left behind. Yet it yields

me boldness also, and I venture to ask Miss Norvell what she would

probably have answered had Mooney been left out of the problem

entirely?"

His low voice held a ring of subdued earnestness, and the face of the

woman as quickly lost its smile. An instant she hesitated, her eyes

downcast, fully conscious he was anxiously searching her countenance

for the exact truth.

"And under those conditions," she responded finally, "Miss Norvell

would very probably have answered yes, only it would have been more

deliberately uttered, so that you should have realized the measure of

her condescension."

Winston laughed.

"You can have small conception of the intense relief brought me by that

last acknowledgment," he explained cheerfully. "Now I can proceed with

clear conscience, and shall undoubtedly discover in the church service

an expression of my own devout gratitude."

It was an exceedingly alert exchange of words which followed, each

cautiously exploring a way in toward a somewhat clearer understanding

of the other, yet both becoming quickly convinced that they were not

destined for ordinary acquaintanceship. To Miss Norvell observing her

companion with shy intentness, this erect, manly young fellow with

weather-browned, clean-shaven face and straightforward gray eyes seemed

to evince a power of manhood she instinctively felt and surrendered to.

His were those elements which a woman of her nature must instantly

recognize--physical strength and daring, combined with mental acuteness

and indomitable will. The fact of his present unworthy employment

added the fascination of mystery to his personality, for it was

manifestly impossible to conceive that such a position was all this man

had ever achieved in life. And Winston wondered likewise at her, his

earlier admiration for the bright attractiveness of face and manner

broadening as her mind gave quick response to his leadership. Here was

certainly no commonplace girl of the stage, but an educated, refined,

ambitious woman, matured beyond her years by experience, her

conversation exhibiting a wide range of reading, interwoven, with a

deep knowledge of life. They spoke of ideals, of art, of literature,

of secret aspirations, not often mentioned during such early

acquaintanceship, breaking through that mental barrenness which had

characterized their living for weeks, this common ground of thought and

interest awakening between them an immediate friendliness and frankness

of utterance delightfully inspiring. Almost without comprehending how

it occurred they were chatting together as if the eventful years had

already cemented their acquaintanceship. With cheeks flushed and eyes

glowing from aroused interest Miss Norvell increased in beauty, and

Winston observed her with an admiration finding frank expression in his

eyes.