"Mrs. Appleton, may I introduce Mr. Norris, who has come here as a new
citizen. Apart from other considerations, we are grateful to anybody
that swells the census, aren't we?"
"So glad!" she murmured. "Mr. Percival must bring you to my lawn-party
next week."
But even while Norris expressed his thanks, Dick's eyes wandered, until,
with a cheerful start, he caught his companion's arm.
"There she is, Ellery," he said. "This way."
Norris knew in his heart that he was waiting for that summons, and he
turned and followed as Percival began a slow progress through the crowd
toward that uncompromising stiff-lined bench of the kind that Mr. Early
affected, where sat the girl like a cameo, beside a woman somewhat older
than herself.
The younger woman lifted her eyes and caught from afar the greeting of
the advancing men. That there should be no sudden illumination, no swift
blush in her nod of recognition, gave Dick a slight feeling of
irritation. He had regarded a little polite display of delight as in
some way his right. But if she was undemonstrative, she had the virtues
of her failing, for there was a certain serenity even in the broad curve
with which her hair clung to her temples, and in the over-crowded room
her smile was as refreshing as a draft from a cool spring. Both of these
women were marked by a repose of manner which distinguished them from
the eager crowd that was pushing toward the latest new apostle. It was
the elder who put out a welcoming hand.
"Ah, Dick," she said, "you are at home at last. How good it is to see
you! When did you come?"
"Last night. Mother sent me over here to-day with the promise that I
should see you--and Madeline." His eyes traveled to the girl beyond.
"And this, Mrs. Lenox, Miss Elton, is my good friend, Norris. You
already know that we were lovely together in college, and in life we
hope not to be divided. You'll be good to him, won't you?"
In Mrs. Lenox's greeting there was that mixture of kindliness with
shrewd instant analysis that becomes a habit with women of the world,
and Norris stiffened with fresh realization that he was raw and
unaccustomed to her suave atmosphere. He would have liked to be his best
self before Percival's friends, and he felt like an oyster. Even the
gentle eyes of Miss Elton seemed to measure him. Fortunately they
thought chiefly of Dick, and when did Dick's facile tongue fail him?