essly unrolling.

After luncheon, Cousin Jim with impulsive hospitality had carried her
off to see the Big Town--an expedition from which his wife relievedly
withdrew--and he had whirled Maria Angelina about in motors, plunged her
into roaring subways, whisked her up dizzying elevators and brought her
out upon unbelievable heights, all the time expounding and explaining
with that passionate, possessive pride of the New Yorker by adoption,
which left his young guest with the impression that he owned at least
half the city and was personally responsible for the other half.

It had been very wonderful but Maria had expected New York to be
wonderful. And she was not interested, save superficially, in cities.
Life was the stuff her dreams were made on, and life was unfolding
vividly to her eager eyes at this gay dinner, promising her enchanted
senses the incredible richness and excitement for which she had come.

And though she sat up very sedately, like a well-behaved child in the
midst of blazing carnival, her glowing face, her breathless lips and
wide, shining eyes revealed her innocent ardors and young expectancies.

She was very proud of herself, in the midst of all the prideful
splendor, proud of her new, absurdly big white hat, of her new, absurdly
small white shoes, and of her new, white mull frock, soft and clinging
and exquisite with the patient embroidery of the needlewoman.

Its low cut neck left her throat bare and about her throat hung the
string of white coral that her father had given her in parting--white
coral, with a pale, pale pink suffusing it.

"Like a young girl's dreams," Santonini had said. "Snowy white--with a
blush stealing over them."

That was so like dear Papa! What dreams did he think his daughter was to
have in this New World upon her golden quest? And yet, though Maria
Angelina's mocking little wit derided, her young heart believed somehow
in the union of all the impossibilities. Dreams and blushes . . . and
good fortune. . . .

Strange food was set before her; delicious jellied cold soups, and
scarlet lobsters with giant claws; and Maria Angelina discovered that
excitement had not dulled her appetite.

The music sounded again and Cousin Jim asked her to dance. Shyly she
protested that she did not know the American dances, and then, to her
astonishment, he turned to his wife, and the two hurried out upon the
floor, leaving her alone and unattended at that conspicuous table.

That w