gurglingly melodious--oh,
dash it, yes; I mean just that!--like the flute notes in the overture to
what's-his-name--_that_ sort!

"That's the way I love to hear a man talk!" she said warmly. "I think
it takes an American to stand up for his own place, his own
times--_please_!"

And gently, but with a lovely smile, she withdrew her hand that I had
folded close in mine. I let it go, for I saw her look toward the house,
and, of course, _I_ understood--jolly careless of me not to have
remembered--but she would know from my nod and shrug that I
comprehended.

And really, by Jove, it was almost as pleasant as holding her hand, just
to watch her leaning back against the iron pillar about which curved the
dark-leaved tendrils of some purple-flowering vine. By Jove, she just
looked like a stunning, white, Easter-card angel--that's what!--even to
the golden hair they always have and the jolly wings; for her gleaming
arms, spread behind her head, made you think of that. But _that_ was as
near as one of them could come to her, for no golden-haired angel in
white flowing nightgown was ever a patch on her for _style_!

Never a one could look so _chic_ as she did in her smart linen suit,
with its blue flannel collar, caught low with a flowing, breezy tie; and
no jolly angel _I_ ever saw pictured could sport a waist like that, so
dainty, so modish, so jolly snug and--er--squeezable, don't you
know--_never_! And I was devilish sure that no barefooted or sandaled
angel would ever dare to put a foot beside one of those little white
Oxfords or that arching instep, just blushing faintly through the silken
mesh that held it--well, I guess not! And where the angel, I should
like to know, that could match her glorious, fluffy pompadour or the
distracting little golden smoke wisps that whirled and pulled and
tangled and tossed and twisted and tugged, trying to lift her in their
feeble arms into the current of the wandering breeze?

I sighed, and my deep breath brought her gaze back to me and her
flashing smile as well.

"And so," she said, lifting her little chin, "you think there are just
as many knights now as there used to be?"

I almost laughed at the child-like question--but I didn't! Dash it, no,
I wouldn't have done so for the world. Just looked at her seriously and
answered her in kind:

"Perfectly sure of it, don't you know!"

And, by Jove, I was! Knew if there had been any change, some
newspaper-reading chap at the club w