'It's a good organ,' said Corinne. 'You ought to work at it.'
'Perfect shame he won't study,' said Mrs Henderson. Henry found The Geisha on the piano.
'Come on, Corinne,' he cried. 'Do the “Jewel of Asia.” Mrs Henderson'll transpose it.'
Corinne leaned carelessly against the piano and sang the pleasant little melody with an ease and a steady flow of tone that brought a shine to Henry's eyes. He had to hide it, dropping on the big couch and resting his head on his hand. He could look nowhere but at her. He ordered her to sing 'The Amorous Goldfish.'
She fell into the spirit of it, and moved away from the piano, looking provocatively at Henry, gesturing, making an audience of him. She even danced a few steps at the end.
Henry sprang up. The power was upon him. Obstacles, difficulties, the little scene with Humphrey, while not forgotten, were swept aside. He was irresistible.
'Tell you what,' he said gaily, with supreme ease—'w'e'll send those Chicago men a box of poisoned candy to-morrow, and—oh, yes w-e will!—and then we'll have a party at the rooms. You'll be chaperon, Mrs Henderson and Hump'll cook things in the chafing dish, and——'
'What a perfectly lovely idea!' said Mrs Henderson in a surprisingly calm voice. 'I'll bring the cold chicken, and a vegetable salad...
Henry watched Corinne.
For an instant—she was rummaging through the music—her eyes met his. 'It'll be fun,' she said.