A moment later Mollie led Cobb toward Marie, who was standing by the window at the side of the room. "Leona, this is our friend, Mr. Cobb, of whom you have heard us speak. Junius, my cousin, Leona Bennett." Mollie smiled slyly, and gave Marie a knowing look. Cobb bowed low, and then, looking up, hesitated as if lost in admiration of the beautiful face before him. Ere a word could be spoken by either, Lester and Hugh were brought forward and presented. "You must have thought me rude, Miss Bennett," said Cobb, a little later, as he and Marie sat near each other, "not to have expressed the pleasure which I could not but feel at meeting one so beautiful as yourself." "I, equally, was unable to more than acknowledge the introduction; for you know the others were upon us, and we had no time," and she smiled charmingly upon him, while her eyes seemed to have a longing, craving expression. "You have had a most remarkable experience in life, Mr. Cobb," she added, after a pause. "Yes," sadly. "And many times I have wished my fate had ordained it otherwise; but now, Miss Bennett, it would be ungallant, and," with a searching look, "untrue, to say that I do, for I have met you." "Ah, you are like all men, ever ready with a compliment." "But it seems as if I was drawn to you by some power I cannot express," he continued, looking deep into her eyes. "Do I remind you of some old friend, some old love?" she banteringly asked, though it was easy to perceive that she longed for an affirmative reply. "That is just what puzzles me, Miss Bennett. It seems as if your face was familiar, and yet I could never have met you before." "Are you sure?" She looked up with one of those expressions of childhood days when she had clung to him and begged him to come again to her in Duke's Lane. His eyes scanned her; his thoughts traveled back many years. "How like Marie Colchis was that expression," he said to himself; yet he gave no utterance to his thoughts. "She was dead, dead long years ago!" Then, aloud, he slowly said: "Yes; I am sure." "Then, how can you account for the power of attraction which draws you to me?" she persisted. "I know not its cause," he smilingly returned, "unless it be that perhaps all men are similarly attracted. I am but mortal, Miss Bennett, and consequently cannot resist the loadstone of so much grace and loveliness." Thus they met, and thus they talked. He knew her not, nor did she reveal her identity. She wished to test the man she loved; and why? Ask a woman! Two weeks passed, and still they all remained in San Francisco; but the next day was to see them on their way to Washington; the President had sent an imperative summons for all to join him at once.