to learn that this was a week-end party, and
that Miss Coolidge was the mistress of the place, her parents having been
dead for two years. Percival Coolidge, her father's brother, and a
manufacturer in the city, was her guardian, and the affairs of the estate
were not yet entirely liquidated. West drew the impression that Colonel
LeFranc possessed a rather low opinion of the uncle, although he was
careful to choose his words. Beyond this he apparently knew nothing of
the family history, which he felt at liberty to communicate. As West had
a delicacy in asking questions, the subject was pursued no further.

He was assigned to escort Miss Willis, a tall willowy blonde, and quite
talkative, in to dinner, but her conversation ran largely to the
theatrical offerings in town, and he found it impossible to change her
trend of thought into other channels. The hostess sat nearly opposite,
where she could easily overhear the young lady, whose voice was decidedly
penetrating, so West made no serious attempt to be otherwise than
complacent. Once the smiling Natalie appealed to him, familiarly
calling him "Matt" across the table, and he responded with equal
intimacy, yet her eyes avoided his, and it was plainly evident to his
self-consciousness, that her remark was merely part of the play. More
and more her actions mystified and perplexed; he could not discover the
key to her hidden motive, or guess at her purpose in this masquerade.
Nothing remained but for him to go quietly forward, playing the part
assigned. He had pledged himself blindly to her, and could only wait for
the future to reveal the object of it all. Sometime he would succeed in
getting the girl alone once more, and then he would compel a full
confession.

But this was not destined to take place that evening. She coolly and
deliberately defeated every effort he made to get her alone, and yet this
was accomplished in a manner so as not to attract the attention of
others. Even Percival Coolidge, who, West felt, was watching them both
shrewdly, never suspected the quiet game of hide and seek being played
under his very eyes. Nevertheless, it was this growing suspicion of the
man which prevented West from indulging in more rigorous methods. As the
evening progressed he became almost convinced that her principal object
was to deceive this gentleman; that she really cared nothing for what the
others might think, or say. And she did her part to perfection, being
with West