a frankly confessed, and gave a wistful
glance at the walls around her, wondering how long before the soft, dark
bloom of time, of use and wont, should descend on their crude faces.

"Well," Clara conceded, "at any rate we know it's genuine, and that's a
consolation. The number of imitations going about and the way people
pick them up is appalling! While I was getting that rug for you at
Vigo's yesterday, Ella Buller came in and bought three imitation
Bokharas, with the greatest enthusiasm. She buys quantities, and she's
always taken in. It is enough to make one nervous about the people one
sits next to at dinner there. One can not help suspecting them of being
some of Ella's bargains. I wonder, now, where she picked up that Kerr."

This finale failed to take Flora off her guard. "At any rate, he is odd
enough to be genuine," she said with a gleam of malice.

"Oh, no doubt of that," Clara mildly assented, "but genuine what?"

"Why, gentleman at large," said Flora, and quickly wanted to recall it,
for Clara's glance seemed to give it a double significance. "I mean,"
she added, "just one of those chronic travelers who have nothing else to
do, and whose way must be paved with letters of introduction"--she
floundered. "At least, that was the idea he gave of himself." She broke
off, doubly angry that she had tried to explain Kerr, and tried to
explain herself, when the circumstances required nothing of the sort.
She was sure Clara had not missed her nervousness, though Clara made no
sign. Her eyes only traveled a second time to Flora's hands, as if among
the flare of red and white jewels she was expecting to see another
color. To Flora's palpitating consciousness this look made a perfect
connection with Clara's next remark.

"At least his manners are odd enough! There was a minute last night
when he was really quite startling."

Flora felt a small, warm spot of color increasing in the middle of each
cheek. She drew a long breath, as if to draw in courage. Then Clara had
really seen! That smooth, blindish look of hers, last night, had seen
everything! And here she was owning up to it, and affably offering
herself as a confidante; and for what reason under the sun unless to
find out what it was that had so startled Kerr? Flora felt like crying
out, "If you only knew what that thing may be, you would never want to
come nearer to it!"

"I am afraid he annoyed you, Flora."

The girl looked into the kindly solicitude of Cl