“The night at the office when I came in. The first time you ever spoke to me. Don’t you remember?”
“I shall never forget it,” Marsten said, in a hushed voice.
“Oh, you take things too much to heart, I can see that. You shouldn’t mind a little disappointment, nor think my father hard because he refused you. I spoke up for you at the time, as I told you yesterday, and I’m afraid I didn’t further your interests by doing so, for father thinks women shouldn’t interfere in business.”
They were seated opposite one another, the girl bending forward in friendly confidential attitude, the young man unable to take his eyes from her, listening, like one in a dream, to the entrancing murmur of her speech.
“You spoke up for me?” he repeated, as if soliloquizing.
“Yes, and father said——”
The girl paused, embarrassed, remembering that what had been said had not been complimentary to her listener.
“What did he say?” asked Marsten, breathlessly.
“Well, you know, he thought you too young and inexperienced for a responsible position, and you are not very old, are you? But by and by, when you have more experience, I am sure he will listen to you. The great thing is to gain his confidence,—at least that is what I should try to do.”
“Yes, I should like to win his confidence,” said Marsten, dolefully.