Skippy did not know Alice Parks, though she lived in New York City. Likewise with a growing feeling of his profound social ignorance, he successively admitted that he did not know Cornelia Baxter, Frances Bowen or Harry Fall. Whereupon Miss Barrons abandoned him to converse with Charles who did know Alice Parks who was so attractive and Harry Fall who had such a strong character.
"What the devil is there to talk about," said Skippy to himself as he fidgeted with the soup. "What an awful bore society is."
There was Maude Adams, but how was he to get to her?
"I'm just crazy about harps," said Miss Cantillon, who was clever. "I think they're wonderful."
"Do you like them better than violins?" said Miss Barrons doubtfully.
"Yes, that is the trouble. It's a perfect shame too. They are too big to carry round but they are so melodious. I don't like the piano--it's so cold--"
While the conversation raged on the proper classification of musical instruments, Miss Balou turned from Snorky to Skippy and looked him once more in the eyes with her interested glance.
"Yes, I've heard a lot about you," she said with a knowing look.
"You're a perfectly ghastly flirt," she said, lowering her voice. "You give a girl a terrific rush for a week or two and then pop off without even saying good-bye. Never mind though. I'm warned."
Again the look, the interested look of trying to discover the secret of his fascination. It was quite unlike the way any other girl had ever looked at him. Other girls looked at you side-wise or averted their eyes when they met yours. But this was different. It was mocking, impertinent, insinuating, but it did not displease him. He saw that he had made an impression, an instantaneous impression. He mystified her perhaps but he interested her intensely. For the first time he had conquered with a look.
"Two pounds of chocolates against a necktie."
"Some one who knows Dolly Travers," said Vivi with a mocking smile.
"Brute," said Vivi in the greatest admiration.
"Now don't be modest--I hate modest men. It makes it twice as bad. She's very attractive, isn't she?"
"Very," said Skippy, feeling every inch a man.
"But she's rather young--for you, isn't she?" said Vivi artfully.
"They put glasses on cows in Russia," said Miss Cantillon importantly. She had a reputation as a brilliant conversationalist to uphold.