Mrs. Robinson took the velvet case that he held out to her, opened it, and looked inside.
“I see!” said she. “What a sweet, dear boy you are, Mandy! Isn’t he, Nina?”
“Perfectly pathetic!” said Mrs. Milner.
“Well, why?” he demanded, horribly confused.
No one answered him.
“Well, look here!” he went on. “Now that you’ve got the thing, will you send for her to come back? Or you can tell me where she lives, and I’ll go and explain—”
“Oh, I’m sure you would, Mandy!” said Sheila sweetly.
“Well, what—” he began, growing angry now.
There was another knock at the door, and in came Lucian Robinson. He started at the sight of Mandeville. He wished never to see Mandeville again. He couldn’t forget that look; and he couldn’t forget that if Mandeville had known the truth, his contempt would have been beyond measure greater. At the same time, he couldn’t help liking the contemptuous young man, and admiring him, because he knew that nothing in this world could ever induce Mandeville to do a base or cowardly thing.
“I—I—I—” he said, turning toward the door again. “L-later, my dear!”