"Perhaps they prefer it, too," said Marie. The words had escaped 32 her almost before she was aware of it, and she flushed hotly, ashamed of her rudeness.
But "Feathers" only laughed.
"I knew you didn't like me," he said in friendly fashion. "I could read it in your eyes last night."
She was nonplussed by his frankness.
"I can't like you or dislike you," she said after a moment. "I don't know anything about you."
"I know you don't," he agreed calmly. "But you think you do! And that's where you are mistaken! If you take my advice, Mrs. Lawless, you'll make a friend of me."
She stared at him with growing indignation.
"Why, whatever for?" she asked blankly. She had never been spoken to in such a manner before.
Feathers laughed again, and ran his fingers through his unruly hair.
"Well, for one thing, I'm your husband's best friend," he said sententiously. "And I always think it's policy for a woman to keep in with her husband's best friend. What do you think?"