for pretending. I think it is love!"

Gwent laughed.

"Not a bit of it! He's the last man in the world to worry himself about
love!"

Manella glanced him over with quite a superior air.

"Ah, perhaps you do not know!" And she waved her hands expressively.
"There was a wonderful lady came here to see him some weeks ago--she
stole up the hill at night, like a spirit--a little, little fairy woman
with golden hair--"

Gwent pricked up his ears and stood at attention.

"Yes? Really? You don't say so! 'A little fairy woman'? Sounds like a
story!"

"She wore the most lovely clothes"--went on Manella, clasping her hands
in ecstasy--"She stayed at the Plaza one night--I waited upon her. I
saw her in her bed--she had skin like satin, and eyes like blue
stars--her hair fell nearly to her ankles--she was like a dream! And
she went up the hill by moonlight all by herself, to find HIM!"

Gwent listened with close interest.

"And I presume she found him?"

Manella nodded, and a sigh escaped her.

"Oh, yes, she found him! He told me that. And I am sure--something
tells me HERE" and she pressed one hand against her heart--"by the way
he spoke--that he loves her!"

"You seem to be a very observant young woman," said Gwent,
smiling--"One would think you were in love with him yourself!"

She raised her large dark eyes to his with perfect frankness.

"I am!" she said--"I see no shame in that! He is a fine man--it is good
to love him!"

Gwent was completely taken aback. Here was primitive passion with a
vengeance!--passion which admitted its own craving without subterfuge.
Manella's eyes were still uplifted in a kind of childlike confidence.

"I am happy to love him!" she went on--"I wish only to serve him. He
does not love ME--oh, no!--he loves HER! But he hates her too--ah!" and
she gave a little shivering movement of her shoulders--"There is no
love without hate!--and when one loves and hates with the same
heart-beat, THAT is a love for life and death!" She checked herself
abruptly--then with a simplicity which was not without dignity
added--"I am saying too much, perhaps? But you are his friend--and I
think he must be very lonely up there!"

Mr. Senator Gwent was perplexed. He had not looked to stumble on a
romantic episode, yet here was one ready made to his hand. His nature
was ill attuned to romance of any kind, but he felt a certain
compassion for this girl, so richly dowered with physical beauty, and
smitten w