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　　"The next train for Montreal leaves when?" he asked.

　　"I don't believe I'll stay in comedy so very much longer," sheeventually remarked to Lola.

　　He pushed her before him at the gate, stood between her and theticket man while the latter punched their tickets, so that shecould not see, and then hurried after.

　　There was much more passing now than the mere words indicated.He recognised the indescribable thing that made up forfascination and beauty in her. She realised that she was ofinterest to him from the one standpoint which a woman bothdelights in and fears. Her manner was simple, though for the veryreason that she had not yet learned the many little affectationswith which women conceal their true feelings. Some things shedid appeared bold. A clever companion--had she ever had one--would have warned her never to look a man in the eyes sosteadily.

　　As the two went down the street, she glanced interestedly out ofthe window. It was a most satisfactory spectacle indeed, mostsatisfactory.

　　As a matter of fact she was, but only in such a way as furnishedthe least straw of an excuse. Miss Osborne and she had gone tothe office of the manager who was to produce the new opera at theBroadway and returned straight to the former's room, where theyhad been since three o'clock.

　　"I'll go now," he said to Carrie, coming toward her and holdingout his hands, but she did not move to take them.

　　"Not if you couldn't wait."

　　It was after the business meeting and things were going sociallywith a hum. Drouet was bobbing around chatting and joking with ascore of individuals whom he knew.