ist
merely turned from one to the other a quick glance, and ignored the
matter; yet that glance had stamped him with her conception of his
commonness.

"I could just as well have sent the poster over," Beth said, "but, as I
'phoned, it is well to see, if it suits exactly, before putting it out
of mind----"

"Lovely of you, dear. I'm so glad Mr. Bedient is here to see it!" Mrs.
Wordling's brown eyes swam with happiness.

Beth was in brown. Her profile was turned to Bedient, as she unrolled
the large, heavy paper.... The work was remarkable in its effect of
having been done in a sweep. The subtle and characteristic appeal of
the actress (so truly her own, that she would have been the last to
notice it) had been caught in truth and cleverly, the restlessness of
her empty arms and eager breast. The face was finer, and the curves of
the figure slightly lengthened; the whole in Beth's sweeping way,
rather masterful.

"Splendid!" Mrs. Wordling exclaimed, and to Bedient added: "It's for
the road. Isn't it a winner?"

"Yes, I do like it," Bedient said.

Beth was glad that he didn't enlarge.

"I must be on my way, then," she said. "I'm going into the country
to-morrow for the week-end.... We're getting the old house fixed up for
the winter. Mother writes that the repairs are on in full blast, and
that I'm needed. Last Saturday when I got there the plumbers had just
come. Very carefully they took out all the plumbing and laid it on the
front lawn; then put it back.... Good-by."

"Good-by, and thank you, Beth."

"I am glad that it pleases you, Mrs. Wordling." Her tone was pleasantly
poised.

Bedient missed nothing now. He did not blame Mrs. Wordling for using
him. He saw that she was out of her element with the others; therefore
not at her best trying to be one with them. In her little strategies,
she was quite true to herself. He could not be irritated, though he was
very sorry. Of course, there could be no explanation. His own innocence
was but a humorous aspect of the case. The trying part was that look in
Beth Truba's eyes, which told him how bored she was by this sort of
commonness.

Then there was to-morrow and Sunday with her away. In her brown dress
and hat, glorious and away.

Bedient went away, too.

THIRTEENTH CHAPTER

ABOUT SHADOWY SISTERS

Beth Truba hadn't the gift of talking about the things that hurt her.
She had met all her conflicts in solitudes of her own finding; and
there they had b