Part 18 (1/2)

”She smiled slowly. 'You _can_ say nice things, can't you, Mr.

Ballard? But that doesn't quite exculpate Mr. Benham.'

”'I'm sure,' said Jerry very gravely, 'that you're the most beautiful creature I've ever seen!'

”Her fis.h.i.+ng prospered. Her eyelashes lowered so that we both could see how long they were and when she raised them again and looked at Jerry her eyes were opened wide.

”'That is the greatest compliment I've ever received in my life,' she said evenly. 'I hope you mean it, Mr. Benham.'

”'I shouldn't have said it if I didn't think so,' said Jerry quickly.

”Something in the positive way he spoke pleased her again for she smiled bewitchingly, effacing me completely. I think we're going to be very good friends,' she said, moving up on the divan a little nearer to him. 'Of course, it takes more than the aesthetic appeal to bring two sensible people together,' she murmured. 'It is not the eye which must catch the reflection, but the mind. You've thought a good deal--and studied? Men are so vapid nowadays.' She sighed. 'I hope some day you will think I'm clever enough for you to talk to me about things.'

”She was playing up to him, you see, I think that Jerry is the most extraordinary male animal that has ambled into her vision this winter.

”'I'd be glad to. Of course you're different from anything I ever saw before,' said Jerry. 'I've always thought of nature as the most beautiful thing in the world. Now I seem to be just as sure that art is.'

”That rather took her aback, but she didn't turn a hair.

”'You think all this--superfluous?'

”'Not superfluous, perhaps. Merely artificial.'

”'Am I artificial?'

”'Yes,' bluntly! 'I don't understand it at all. But it's singularly effective. It's like night with only one star visible--'

”'The more visible,' I put in, 'for being Venus.'

”She looked at me slantways. 'I'm sorry you said that, Mr. Ballard.

Venus is not my G.o.ddess. Diana--'

”'The Huntress,' I broke in again.

”'Pallas Athene, the guardian and guide of heroes,' she countered neatly.

”'I'm glad you don't like Venus, Miss Van Wyck,' put in Jerry quickly.

'She made a lot of trouble, just because she was pretty. Diana--she _was_ the right sort, no sentimental rot for her.'

”'Of course. Sentiment _is_ rot and so sloppy.'

”Jerry laughed ingenuously. 'That's a good word,' he said. 'Imagine Diana being sloppy.'

”'Women aren't nearly as sentimental as they used to be. As a woman's weapon hysteria has gone to the dust heap. Women are learning independence. You believe in women thinking for themselves, don't you?'

”'Of course,' said Jerry. 'But they don't, do they?'

”'_I_ do. It's one of my gospels to be self-sufficient. Don't you believe me?'

”'I'd like to, you're so lovely to look at. I'd like to think you were perfect in everything.'