CHAPTER I. THE MISTRESS OF CANEMA.

hemallontrial,youknow." "Pray,MissNina,telluswhotheyare." "Well,there'sMr.Carson—he'saricholdbachelor—horridlypolite—oneofthoselittle,bobbingmen,thatalwayshavesuchshinydickiesandcollars,andsuchbrightboots,andsuchtightstraps.Andhe'srich—andperfectlywildaboutme.Hewouldn'ttakenoforananswer,youknowsoIjustsaidyes,tohavealittlequiet.Besides,heisveryconvenientabouttheoperaandconcerts,andsuchthings." "Well,andthenext?" "Well,thenextisGeorgeEmmons.He'soneofyourpink-and-whitemen,youknow,wholooklikecream-candy,asiftheyweregoodtoeat.He'salawyer,ofagoodfamily,—thoughtagooddealof,andallthat.Well,really,theysayhehastalents—I'mnojudge.IknowhealwaysboresmetodeathaskingmeifIhavereadthisorthat—markingplacesinbooksthatIneverread.He'syoursentimentalsort—writesthemostromanticnotesonpinkpaper,andallthatsortofthing." "Andthethird?" "Well,yousee,Idon'tlikehimabit—I'msureIdon't.He'sahatefulcreature!Heisn'thandsomehe'sproudasLuciferandI'msureIdon'tknowhowhegotmetobeengaged.Itwasakindofanaccident.He'srealgood,though—toogoodforme,that'safact.But,then,I'mafraidofhimalittle." "Andhisname?" "Well,hisnameisClayton—Mr.EdwardClayton,atyourservice.He'soneofyourhigh-and-mightypeople—withsuchdeep-seteyes—eyesthatlookasiftheywereinacave—andsuchblackhair!Andhiseyeshaveadesperatesortofsadlook,sometimes—quiteByronic.He'stall,andratherloose-jointed—hasbeautifulteethhismouth,too,is—well,whenhesmiles,sometimesitreallyisquitefascinatingandthenhe'ssodifferentfromothergentlemen!He'skind—buthedon'tcarehowhedressesandwearsthemosthorridshoes.And,then,heisn'tpolite—hewon'tjump,youknow,topickupyourthreadorscissorsandsometimeshe'llgetintoabrownstudy,andletyoustandtenminutesbeforehethinkstogiveyouachair,andallsuchprovokingthings.Heisn'tabitofalady'sman.Well,consequenceis,asmylordwon'tcourtthegirls,thegirlsallcourtmylord—that'stheway,youknowandtheyseemtothinkit'ssuchafeatherintheircaptogetattentionfromhim—because,youknow,he'shorridsensible.So,yousee,thatjustsetmeouttoseewhatIcoulddowithhim.Well,yousee,Iwouldn'tcourthim—andIplaguedhim,andlaughedathim,andspitedhim,andgothimgloriouslywrothandhesaidsomespitefulthingsaboutme,andthenIsaidsomemoreabouthim,andwehadarealup-and-downquarrel—andthenItookapenitentturn,youknow,andjustwentgracefullydownintothevalleyofhumiliation—aswewitchescanandittookwonderfully—broughtmylordontohiskneesbeforeheknewwhathewasdoing.Well,really,Idon'tknowwhatwasthematter,justthen,buthespokesoearnestandstrongthatactuallyhegotmetocrying—hatefulcreature!—andIpromisedallsortsofthings,youknow—saidaltogethermorethanwillbearthinkingof." "Andareyoucorrespondingwithalltheselovers,MissNina?" "Yes—isn'titfun?Theirletters,youknow,can'tspeak.Iftheycould,whentheycomerustlingtogetherinthebag,wouldn'ttherebeamuss?" "MissNina,Ithinkyouhavegivenyourhearttothislastone." "Oh,nonsense,Harry!Haven'tgotanyheart!—don'tcaretwopinsforanyofthem!AllIwantistohaveagoodtime.Astolove,andallthat,Idon'tbelieveIcouldloveanyofthemIshouldbetiredtodeathofanyoftheminsixweeks.Ineverlikedanythingthatlong." "MissNina,youmustexcuseme,butIwanttoaskagain,isitrighttotriflewiththefeelingsofgentlemeninthisway?" "Whynot?—Isn'tallfa