Did the lights give
you a headache? They are very trying. They burn one's eyes out in the
end, I believe." She paused and waved the porter away with a smile as
he came toward them. Half-clad Pittsburghers were tramping up and down
the aisle, casting sidelong glances at McKann and his companion. "How
much better they look with all their clothes on," she murmured. Then,
turning directly to McKann again: "I saw you were not well seated, but I
felt something quite hostile and personal. You were displeased with me.
Doubtless many people are, but I seldom get an opportunity to question
them. It would be nice if you took the trouble to tell me why you were
displeased."

She spoke frankly, pleasantly, without a shadow of challenge or hauteur.
She did not seem to be angling for compliments. McKann settled himself
in his seat. He thought he would try her out. She had come for it, and he
would let her have it. He found, however, that it was harder to formulate
the grounds of his disapproval than he would have supposed. Now that he
sat face to face with her, now that she was leaning against his bag, he
had no wish to hurt her.

"I'm a hard-headed business man," he said evasively, "and I don't much
believe in any of you fluffy-ruffles people. I have a sort of natural
distrust of them all, the men more than the women."

She looked thoughtful. "Artists, you mean?" drawing her words slowly.
"What is your business?"

"Coal."

"I don't feel any natural distrust of business men, and I know ever so
many. I don't know any coal-men, but I think I could become very much
interested in coal. Am I larger-minded than you?"

McKann laughed. "I don't think you know when you are interested or when
you are not. I don't believe you know what it feels like to be really
interested. There is so much fake about your profession. It's an
affectation on both sides. I know a great many of the people who went to
hear you tonight, and I know that most of them neither know nor care
anything about music. They imagine they do, because it's supposed to be
the proper thing."

Kitty sat upright and looked interested. She was certainly a lovely
creature--the only one of her tribe he had ever seen that he would cross
the street to see again. Those were remarkable eyes she had--curious,
penetrating, restless, somewhat impudent, but not at all dulled by
self-conceit.

"But isn't that so in everything?" she cried. "How many of your clerks
are honest because of