ig, with a neat figure, dark hair and eyes, an olive skin,
small mouth, quaint nose--all in all quite a figure for Chicago at the
time. She had, furthermore, a curious look of current wisdom in her
eyes, an air of saucy insolence which aroused Cowperwood's sense of
mastery, his desire to dominate. To the look of provocation and
defiance which she flung him for the fraction of a second he returned a
curiously leonine glare which went over her like a dash of cold water.
It was not a hard look, however, merely urgent and full of meaning.
She was the vagrom-minded wife of a prosperous lawyer who was absorbed
in his business and in himself. She pretended indifference for a
moment after the first glance, but paused a little way off as if to
examine some laces. Cowperwood looked after her to catch a second
fleeting, attracted look. He was on his way to several engagements
which he did not wish to break, but he took out a note-book, wrote on a
slip of paper the name of a hotel, and underneath: "Parlor, second
floor, Tuesday, 1 P.M." Passing by where she stood, he put it into her
gloved hand, which was hanging by her side. The fingers closed over it
automatically. She had noted his action. On the day and hour
suggested she was there, although he had given no name. That liaison,
while delightful to him, was of no great duration. The lady was
interesting, but too fanciful.

Similarly, at the Henry Huddlestones', one of their neighbors at the
first Michigan Avenue house they occupied, he encountered one evening
at a small dinner-party a girl of twenty-three who interested him
greatly--for the moment. Her name was not very attractive--Ella F.
Hubby, as he eventually learned--but she was not unpleasing. Her
principal charm was a laughing, hoydenish countenance and roguish eyes.
She was the daughter of a well-to-do commission merchant in South Water
Street. That her interest should have been aroused by that of
Cowperwood in her was natural enough. She was young, foolish,
impressionable, easily struck by the glitter of a reputation, and Mrs.
Huddlestone had spoken highly of Cowperwood and his wife and the great
things he was doing or was going to do. When Ella saw him, and saw that
he was still young-looking, with the love of beauty in his eyes and a
force of presence which was not at all hard where she was concerned,
she was charmed; and when Aileen was not looking her glance kept
constantly wandering to his with a laughin