Part 12 (2/2)
”No, of course not... . Only there are times ... moments ...”
Her voice died; her clear eyes looked out into s.p.a.ce while the silent seconds lengthened into minutes. One slender finger had slipped between her lips and teeth; the burnished strand of hair which Nina dreaded lay neglected against her cheek.
”I should like to know,” she began, as though to herself, ”something about everything. That being out of the question, I should like to know everything about something. That also being out of the question, for third choice I should like to know something about something. I am not too ambitious, am I?”
Selwyn did not offer to answer.
”_Am_ I?” she repeated, looking directly at him.
”I thought you were asking yourself.”
”But you need not reply; there is no sense in my question.”
She stood up, indifferent, absent-eyed, half turning toward the window; and, raising her hand, she carelessly brought the rebel strand of hair under discipline.
”You _said_ you were going to look up Gerald,” she observed.
”I am; now. What are you going to do?”
”I? Oh, dress, I suppose. Nina ought to be back now, and she expects me to go out with her.”
She nodded a smiling termination of their duet, and moved toward the door. Then, on impulse, she turned, a question on her lips--left unuttered through instinct. It had to do with the ident.i.ty of the pretty woman who had so directly saluted him in the Park--a perfectly friendly, simple, and natural question. Yet it remained unuttered.
She turned again to the doorway; a maid stood there holding a note on a salver.
”For Captain Selwyn, please,” murmured the maid.
Miss Erroll pa.s.sed out.
Selwyn took the note and broke the seal:
”MY DEAR SELWYN: I'm in a beastly fix--an I.O.U. due to-night and _pas de quoi_! Obviously I don't want Neergard to know, being a.s.sociated as I am with him in business. As for Austin, he's a peppery old boy, bless his heart, and I'm not very secure in his good graces at present. Fact is I got into a rather stiff game last night--and it's a matter of honour. So can you help me to tide it over? I'll square it on the first of the month.
”Yours sincerely,
”GERALD ERROLL.
”P.S.--I've meant to look you up for ever so long, and will the first moment I have free.”
Below this was pencilled the amount due; and Selwyn's face grew very serious.
The letter he wrote in return ran:
”DEAR GERALD: Check enclosed to your order. By the way, can't you lunch with me at the Lenox Club some day this week? Write, wire, or telephone when.
”Yours,
”SELWYN.”
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