Settling back in his chair, Pape allowed his gaze and mind to concentrate, after a habit acquired of late in Central Park, upon the nearby. She had an expressive profile, the young woman whom he had self-selected. If facial traits had real connection with character, that protruding chin, although curved too youthfully to do justice to its joints, suggested that she would not retreat unless punished beyond her strength. If young Irene only would take one good look at her cousin's chin she must give up in any contest between them.
But then, Irene's mental eye was on herself. To her, evidently, all other women were more or less becoming backgrounds.
That she should be so near him, Jane; that he actually should get--oh, it wasn't imagination--the fragrance of her hair; yet that he should be so far away! ... She'd be annoyed and he must not do it, but he felt tempted to train his hired glasses on her, as she had trained hers on him only a few minutes since. He'd have liked again to draw her eyes close to his through their lensed aid and study out the answer to that teasing question--did she or did she not know that she didn't know him?
One thing was clear in the semi-gloom. Her neck and shoulders and back looked more like marble than he'd have supposed live flesh could look. And her lines were lovely--not too padded over to conceal the shoulder blades, yet smooth. Above the narrow part of the V of silver lace, a small, dark dot emphasized her whiteness. Was it a freckle or a mole?
Another than himself seemed interested to know. The handsome Mr. Harford was leaning forward, elbows on knees and chin cupped in hand, his eyes closed, his lips almost touching the beauty spot. Had he given up to the welling wail of Zaza's attempt to out-sing conventions or was his attention, too, on that tantalizing mark?
Whether or no, Pape felt at the moment that he must prevent the imminent contact if he did not live to do anything else in life. He, too, leaned forward. But his eyes did not close. They remained wide open, accurately gauging the distance between a pair of sacrilegious mustached lips and----
Tragedy was temporarily averted or, as it turned out, supplanted. An usher appeared between the curtains; in subdued tones asked for Miss Lauderdale; held up a square, white envelope.