"I suppose you'll go back now to Dolly Travers," said Vivi, whose appetite for verbal expressions of sentiment was still far from being satisfied. "And forget all about--about this wonderful week."
"Women are fickler than men," said Skippy gloomily.
"You know better than that," said Skippy, digging into his change pocket for the pin.
"How do I know?" said Vivi encouragingly.
"Because--" Suddenly Skippy remembered. His fingers relaxed on the pin. He brought forth his hand. "Say, you promised to read my hand you know."
Miss Vivi sat up and carefully pillowed the squat calloused hand in her soft one. For a moment she studied it, turning it over and back again, running her finger meditatively over the mounds and depressions.
"You have a very strong will--very obstinate and not easily influenced. Ambition will be your god and you will sacrifice--" Vivi hesitated.
"Well, pretty true," said Skippy, who began to enjoy his portrait.
"You will sacrifice everything to your ambition--friends, family, the woman who loves you."
"It's here in your hand," said Vivi, shocked at the discovery. "Women will play very little part in your life. It's not that you haven't a lot to give, you have. See this bump, that's affection. It's very developed."
"That's where I threw my thumb out of joint," said Skippy doubtfully.
"But you've had a terrible experience in your life that has shaken your faith and you are afraid to trust again." Skippy looked the picture of gloom at this and thought bitterly on Mimi Lafontaine after hesitating once or twice on the backward journey. "This has made you cynical and cold, ready to impute the lowest motives. Women will love you--many women, but you will give your heart only once more--and that--_that_ will be a tragedy, on account of your own lack of faith."
"Say, is all that there?" said Skippy, beginning to be alarmed.
"That and more," said Vivi, warming up. "You are very loyal, not at all conceited, brilliant intellectual qualities and you will make a success--" Here Vivi paused and turned his hand over, studying it carefully. "I see railroads and banking in your hand."
"Do you think so?" said Skippy unconvinced.
"There it is. You will make loads and loads of money."