“Do put that down!” Mrs. Deline ordered. “I detest air blowing directly on me.”
Penny lowered the window.
Mrs. Deline smoked a cigarette, carelessly allowing the ashes to fall on the bed. Getting up, she moved nervously about the room.
“This place is so small it seems like a prison,” she complained. “Why do you sit there and stare at me?”
“I didn’t realize I was staring,” Penny apologized. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go to bed.”
Undressing quickly, she crawled beneath the covers. Mrs. Deline smoked still another cigarette and then began to prepare for bed. As she removed the jacket of her suit, Penny noticed that the woman wore a beautiful jade elephant pin.
“Why, what an attractive ornament!” she exclaimed. “Is it a locket or just a pin?”
“I bought it in China,” the widow answered without replying to the question.
“In China! Have you been there?”
“Of course!” Mrs. Deline gave Penny an amused glance. Without removing the pin or offering to show it to the girl, she completed her preparations for bed.