The night was a white one. He did not feel very well when he sat scanning the morning paper over his coffee. Recently he had formed the custom of reading two columns only in the paper—Real Estate News and Society. In the latter column Strelsa usually figured.
She figured as usual this morning; and he read the fulsome stuff attentively. Also there was a flourish concerning an annual event at the Santa Regina.
And Quarren read this very carefully; and made up his mind as he finished the paragraph.
The conclusion he came to over his coffee and newspaper materialised that afternoon at a Charity Bazaar, where, as he intended, he met Strelsa Leeds face to face. She said, coolly amiable:
"Have you been away? One never sees you these days."
"I have been nowhere," he said, pleasantly.
She shook her pretty head in reproof:
"Is it good policy for a young man to drop out of sight? Our world forgets over-night."
He laughed: "Something similar has been intimated to me by others—but less gently. I'm afraid I've offended some people."
"Oh, so you have already been disciplined?"