Ames, who has written a novel."
"Clever?"
"Decidedly so; it stands the test of being intoxicating and leaving a bad
taste in the mouth, --like dry champagne."
"Which is not made for women."
"You mean school-girls. There she is, --that wisp of a creature listening
so eagerly to that elegant youth of the terrier breed. No wonder he
interests her; he is as full of information in piquant personal history as
a family lawyer, and his knowledge is as much public property as a social
city directory."
"You have studied him to advantage. Are you sure you have not stolen a
leaf from him?"
"Dr. Kemp!" she exclaimed in pouting reproach, "do I appear as promiscuous
as that? You may call me a 'blue book,' but spare my snobbery the
opprobrious epithet of 'directory.' There goes the fascinating young Mrs.
Shurly with Purcell Burroughs in her toils. Did you catch the fine oratory
of the glance she threw us? It said, 'Dorothy Gwynne, how dare you
appropriate Dr. Kemp for ten long minutes? Hand him over; pass him around.
I want him; you are only boring him, though you seem to be amusing
yourself."
Kemp's grave lips twitched at the corners; he was without doubt amused.
"Aren't you improvising?" he asked. A man need only offer an occasional
bumper of a remark to keep the conversation from flagging, when his
companion is a woman.
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