My own experience with Desiree Le Mire had been anything but exciting.
The woman was interesting; there could be no doubt of that; but she
possessed little attraction for me. Her charms, on close inspection,
were really quite too evident.

I require subtlety in a woman, and so far as I could discover Le Mire
knew not the meaning of the word. We had spent many hours during the
trip across in pleasant companionship; she had done me the honor to
tell me that she found my conversation amusing; and, after all, she was
undeniably a pretty woman. She had invited me with evident sincerity
to call on her in New York; but I had not as yet taken advantage of the
invitation.

I did not then think, and I do not now believe, that I acted foolishly
when I took Harry to see her. In any event, he would have seen her
sooner or later, and since all temptations meet us at one time or
another, it is best to have it out with them at as early a date as
possible. At the time, indeed, I gave the subject no thought whatever;
but if I had I should not have hesitated.

We took tea with her the following afternoon in her apartment, and I
must confess that I myself was more than a little impressed when I
entered. I realized then that on the ship nothing had been in her
favor; she had been completely out of her element, and she was not a
good sailor.

Here all was different. The stiffly ostentatious hotel rooms, by her
own genius or that of her maid, had been transformed into something
very nearly approaching perfection. I was amazed at the excellent
taste displayed in her furniture and its arrangement, for it was clear
that these were no hotel properties. Certainly a woman is at her best
only when she is able to choose or create her own surroundings.

Harry was captivated, and I can scarcely blame him. But the poor lad
betrayed himself so frankly! Though I suppose Le Mire was more or less
accustomed to immediate surrender.

On that day, at least, she had reason to expect it. She satisfied the
eye, which is saying a great deal and is the highest praise possible
for a woman's beauty, when you consider the full strength of the word.

She was radiant, adorable, irresistible; I had to own that my first
impression of her had been far too weak.

We talked for an hour. Harry had little to say as he sat devouring Le
Mire with his eyes, and whenever she turned to him for an answer to a
question or confirmation of an opinion he stamme