"I think it happened because
you and papa----" She stopped.
"Yes?" Mrs. Palmer said, good-naturedly, to prompt her. "Your
father and I did something embarrassing?"
"Mama, it was because of those things that came out about Alice
Adams."
"How could that bother Arthur? Does he know her?"
"Don't you remember?" the daughter asked. "The day after my
dance I mentioned how odd I thought it was in him--I was a little
disappointed in him. I'd been seeing that he met everybody, of
course, but she was the only girl HE asked to meet; and he did it
as soon as he noticed her. I hadn't meant to have him meet
her--in fact, I was rather sorry I'd felt I had to ask her,
because she oh, well, she's the sort that 'tries for the new
man,' if she has half a chance; and sometimes they seem quite
fascinated--for a time, that is. I thought Arthur was above all
that; or at the very least I gave him credit for being too
sophisticated."
"I see," Mrs. Palmer said, thoughtfully. "I remember now that
you spoke of it. You said it seemed a little peculiar, but of
course it really wasn't: a 'new man' has nothing to go by, except
his own first impressions. You can't blame poor Arthur--she's
quite a piquant looking little person. You think he's seen
something of her since then?"
Mildred nodded slowly.
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