Now trivial as this contact may seem to some, it was of the utmost significance to Clyde. Up to this time he hadnever seen a girl with so much charm who would deign to look at him, or so he imagined. And now he had foundone, and she was pretty and actually interested sufficiently to accompany him to dinner and to a show. It wastrue, perhaps, that she was a flirt, and not really sincere with any one, and that maybe at first he could not expecther to center her attentions on him, but who knew--who could tell?

　　And true to her promise on the following Tuesday she met him at the corner of 14th Street and Wyandotte, nearthe Green-Davidson. And so excited and flattered and enraptured was he that he could scarcely arrange hisjumbled thoughts and emotions in any seemly way. But to show that he was worthy of her, he had made analmost exotic toilet--hair pomaded, a butterfly tie, new silk muffler and silk socks to emphasize his bright brownshoes, purchased especially for the occasion.

　　But once he had reencountered Hortense, whether all this was of any import to her he could not tell. For, after all,it was her own appearance, not his, that interested her. And what was more--a trick with her--she chose to keephim waiting until nearly seven o'clock, a delay which brought about in him the deepest dejection of spirit for thetime being. For supposing, after all, in the interval, she had decided that she did not care for him and did not wishto see him any more. Well, then he would have to do without her, of course. But that would prove that he was notinteresting to a girl as pretty as she was, despite all the nice clothes he was now able to wear and the money hecould spend. He was determined that, girl or no girl, he would not have one who was not pretty. Ratterer andHegglund did not seem to mind whether the girl they knew was attractive or not, but with him it was a passion.

　　The thought of being content with one not so attractive almost nauseated him.

　　And yet here he was now, on the street corner in the dark--the flare of many signs and lights about, hundreds ofpedestrians hurrying hither and thither, the thought of pleasurable intentions and engagements written upon the faces of many--and he, he alone, might have to turn and go somewhere else--eat alone, go to a theater alone, gohome alone, and then to work again in the morning. He had just about concluded that he was a failure when outof the crowd, a little distance away, emerged the face and figure of Hortense. She was smartly dressed in a blackvelvet jacket with a reddish-brown collar and cuffs, and a bulgy, round tam of the same material with a redleather buckle on the side. And her cheeks and lips were rouged a little. And her eyes sparkled. And as usual shegave herself all the airs of one very well content with herself.

　　"Oh, hello, I'm late, ain't I? I couldn't help it. You see, I forgot I had another appointment with a fella, a friend ofmine--gee, a peach of a boy, too, and it was only at six I remembered that I had the two dates. Well, I was in amess then. So I had to do something about one of you. I was just about to call you up and make a date for anothernight, only I remembered you wouldn't be at your place after six. Tom never is. And Charlie always is in hisplace till six-thirty, anyhow, sometimes later, and he's a peach of a fella that way--never grouchy or nothing. Andhe was goin' to take me to the theater and to dinner, too. He has charge of the cigar stand over here at the Orphia.

　　So I called him up. Well, he didn't like it so very much. But I told him I'd make it another night. Now, aintchaglad? Dontcha think I'm pretty nice to you, disappointin' a good-lookin' fella like Charlie for you?"She had caught a glimpse of the disturbed and jealous and yet fearsome look in Clyde's eyes as she talked ofanother. And the thought of making him jealous was a delight to her. She realized that he was very much smittenwith her. So she tossed her head and smiled, falling into step with him as he moved up the street.

　　"You bet it was nice of you to come," he forced himself to say, even though the reference to Charlie as a "peachof a fella" seemed to affect his throat and his heart at the same time. What chance had he to hold a girl who wasso pretty and self-willed? "Gee, you look swell to-night," he went on, forcing himself to talk and surprisinghimself a little with his ability to do so. "I like the way that hat looks on you, and your coat too." He lookeddirectly at her, his eyes lit with admiration, an eager yearning filling them. He would have liked to have kissedher--her pretty mouth-- only he did not dare here, or anywhere as yet.

　　"I don't wonder you have to turn down engagements. You're pretty enough. Don't you want some roses to wear?"They were passing a flower store at the moment and the sight of them put the thought of the gift in his mind. Hehad heard Hegglund say that women liked fellows who did things for them.

　　"Oh, sure, I would like some roses," she replied, turning into the place. "Or maybe some of those violets. Theylook pretty. They go better with this jacket, I think."She was pleased to think that Clyde was sporty enough to think of flowers. Also that he was saying such nicethings about her. At the same time she was convinced that he was a boy who had had little, if anything, to dowith girls. And she preferred youths and men who were more experienced, not so easily flattered by her--not soeasy to hold. Yet she could not help thinking that Clyde was a better type of boy or man than she wasaccustomed to--more refined. And for that reason, in spite of his gaucheness (in her eyes) she was inclined totolerate him--to see how he would do.

　　"Well, these are pretty nifty," she exclaimed, picking up a rather large bouquet of violets and pinning them on. "Ithink I'll wear these." And while Clyde paid for them, she posed before the mirror, adjusting them to her taste. Atlast, being satisfied as to their effect, she turned and exclaimed, "Well, I'm ready," and took him by the arm.

　　Clyde, being not a little overawed by her spirit and mannerisms, was at a loss what else to say for the moment,but he need not have worried--her chief interest in life was herself.

　　"Gee, I tell you I had a swift week of it last week. Out every night until three. An' Sunday until nearly morning.

　　My, that was some rough party I was to last night, all right. Ever been down to Burkett's at Gifford's Ferry? Oh, anifty place, all right, right over the Big Blue at 39th. Dancing in summer and you can skate outside when it'sfrozen in winter or dance on the ice. An' the niftiest little orchestra."Clyde watched the play of her mouth and the brightness of her eyes and the swiftness of her gestures withoutthinking so much of what she said--very little.

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