He was a tall, serious youth with credulous eyes, and she swept his
soulful nature as one sweeps the keys of a familiar instrument, drawing
forth time-worn melodies that, nevertheless, were new to him. And just
because he thrilled under them, and looked in her eyes with startled
earnestness, did she like to play upon his soul. It would have been a
bore if he had understood, for he was a dull soul, and young--ages young
for Gila, though his years numbered two more than hers. She liked to see
his eyes kindle and his breath come quick. Some day he would tell her
with impassioned words how much he loved her, and she would turn him
neatly and comfortably down for a while, till he learned his place and
promised not to be troublesome. Then he might join the procession again
as long as he would behave. But at present she knew she could sway him
as she would, and she touched the orchids at her belt with tender little
caressing movements and melting looks. Even before she reached home she
knew he would have a box of something rarer or more costly waiting for
her, if the city afforded such.
She set him down at his club, quite well satisfied with her few minutes.
She was glad it didn't last longer, for it would have grown tiresome;
she had had just enough, carried him just far enough on the wave of
emotion, to stimulate her own soul.
Sweeping away from the curb again, bowing graciously to two or three
other acquaintances who were going in or out of the club building, she
gave an order for the hospital and set her face sternly to the duty
before her.
A little breeze of expectation preceded her entrance into the hospital,
a stir among the attendants about the door. Passing nurses apprized her
furs and orchids; young interns took account of her eyes--the mouse-eyes
had returned, but they lured with something unspeakable and thrilling in
them.
She waited with a nice little superb air that made everybody hurry to
serve her, and presently she was shown up to the door of Bonnie
Brentwood's room. Her chauffeur had followed, bearing a large pasteboard
suit-box which he set down at the door and departed.
"Is this Miss Brentwood's room?" she asked of the nurse who opened the
door grudgingly. Her patient had just awakened from a refreshing sleep
and she had no notion that this lofty little person had really come to
see the quiet, sad-eyed girl who had come there in such shabby little
garments. The visitor had made a mistake, of course. The nurse
grudgingly admitted that Miss Brentwood roomed there.
"Well, I've brought some things for her," said Gila, indicating the
large box at her feet. "You can take it inside and open it."
The nurse opened the door a little wider, looked at the small, imperious
personage in fur trappings, and then down at the box. She hesitated a
moment in a kind of inward fury, then swung the door a little wider open
and stepped back:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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