"That’s reaction," declared the other young man. "Shut any girl up in a cage, and she’ll stretch her wings when she gets out. It will tell on her after a while, though, if she keeps it up. But she won’t. That goes without saying." "Don’t you fool yourself!" muttered Brant, adopting Murray Townsend’s view of the matter. Shirley, indeed, did not look like a girl who was accustomed to adopt courses, only to abandon them when weary. Whatever her views of the "things worth while," she certainly enjoyed that evening. Those who had sent for her congratulated themselves on their foresight. Without making herself in any way a conspicuous figure, or appearing to take the lead, Shirley’s very presence seemed somehow to bring about that result most desirable to a hostess, the making things "go." The young people had been together for five successive evenings, and had about exhausted their resources and those of their entertainers in the way of diversion. But with Shirley Townsend’s softly brilliant eyes looking on, her spirited mouth curving into mischief or merriment, her appreciative comments spurring them, the young men of the party at least found themselves stimulated to their best achievement, and exerted themselves to bring the response of her pleasure. As for the girls, they all liked her, although not without here and there a touch of envy at the success of a style so free from affectation that nobody could accuse its possessor of not being genuine. "You can’t say you ’re not having a good time," urged Hille, cornering Shirley as the evening went on. "There ’s no reason why I should want to say it. I ’m having a delightful time." "I thought it was part of your code, from now on, to enjoy nothing but hard labour." Her laugh rang out softly. "You did n’t believe anything of the sort. If all work and no play make Jack a dull boy, what would they do to Jill? She would be unendurable." "She would. But anybody would have taken alarm at sight of you to-day, over your typewriter. You looked as if you were nothing short of carried away with it. You did n’t so much as notice I was in the room." "I ’m not supposed to notice people who come into Murray’s office. I learned that at once, by watching Miss Henley. While I ’m there I ’m to be merely an intelligent machine." "’Machine’ doesn’t strike me as exactly the word--in your case. As for the ’intelligence’--I suppose Townsend & Company are very exacting. Do you suppose they ’d take me on the force?" "You!" It seemed to amuse her very much. Brant looked nettled. He had asked the question in sport, but he did not like to be taken that way. "Look here, am I such a joke as that?" "The notion of your working for anybody, even for yourself, is very interesting." "You think I ’m not capable?" "I think the mere thought of going to an office every morning at nine o’clock would be too much for you." "You must have a pretty poor opinion of me."