The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-09-08
Of

the voices of the approaching group
drew nearer, one separated itself from
the general murmur, so clear, so res
onantly carried, so clean-clipped on
the tongue, that it stood out in sylla-
bles on the blur of sound which was
Ella Buffers conversation. 1t had
color, that voice; 1t had quality so
sharp, so individual that it touched
her with a mischievous wonder that
he dared speak so differently from all
the world about him. Then, six pic
lures away, she heard her own name.
why, Flora Gilsey!" 1t was Elias
husky, boyish note. I've been look
ing for you all the evening! How
d'y'do, Harry?" She waved her hand
at him. why, how d'y'do, Mrs. Brit
ton? l wouldn't let papa go to sup
per until I'd found you. Papa l said,
wait; Flora and Harry will be here.
Besides" she had quite reached
Flora's side by this time and commu-
nicated it in an impressive whisper, Il
want you to meet my Englishman."
She looked over her shoulder, and
largely beckoned to where the blunt
and florid Butler and his companion,
with their backs to what they were
supposed to be looking at, were ex-
changing an anecdote of infinite
amusement
Buffers expression came around
slowly to his daughters beckoning
hand, but the Englishman's face
seemed to flash at the instant from
what he was enjoying to what was
expected of him. In the flourish of in
Productions, across and across, Flora
found herself thinking the reality less
extraordinary than she had at first
supposed. Now that Mr.. Kerr was
fairly before her, presented to her,
and taking her in with the same lively,
impersonal interest with which he
took in the whole room, ''as IT," she
put 1t vexedly to herself, II were a
specimen poked at him on the end OF
sentiment; and involuntarily she held
him up to Harry. The comparison
showed him little worn, a little bat
tered, little too perfunctory in man.
ner; but his genial eyes, deep under
threatening brows, made Harry's eyes
seem to stare rather coldly; and the
fine form of his long, plain face, and
the sensitive line of his long, thin lips
made Harrys beauty look-well, how
did it look? Hardly callous.
This mixed impression the two men
gave her was disconcerting. She was
all the more ready, to be wary of the
stranger. She had begun with him in
the way she did with every one-in
stinctively throwing out breastworl
of conversation from behind which
she could observe the enemy. But
! though he had blinked at it, he had
not taken her up, nor helped her out;
but had merely stood with his head g
little canted forward, as if he watched
her through her defenses.
But San Francisco must seem sc
limited after LondonS' she had wound
up; and the way he had considered it
a little humorously, down his Ions
nose, made her doubt the interest o1
cities to be reckoned in round mum
bers.
ITS all extraordinary" he said
You're quite as extraordinary in YOU
way as we in ours"
"Oh," she wondered, still vexed will
his inventory, 81 had always supposed
us awfully commonplace What is ou1
way, please?"
"Ah," he said, measuring his Ions
step to hers as they sauntered a lit
tie, "for one thing, you're so awful!
good to a fellow. In London"-and h,
nodded back, as if London were mere
ly across the room-"they're awful.
good to the somebodies. It's the wa.
you take in the nobodies over her.
that is so astonishing-th stra!
leaves that blow in with your trade
and can't show any credentials but /;
letter or two, and their faces; ant
those"-his diablerie danced out again
sometimes such deucedly damaged
ones"
1t was almost indecent, this paradt
of his nOnentity! She wanted to say
"Oh, hush! Those are the things on,
only enjoys-never talks about" Blu