“That’s so. I never did like these mannish females.”

“I mean—of course, I admire them, dreadfully, and I feel so weak and useless beside them.”

“Oh, rats now! I bet you play the piano like a wiz.”

“Oh, no— I mean—not really.”

“Well, I’ll bet you do!” He glanced at her smooth hands, her diamond and ruby rings. She caught the glance, snuggled her hands together with a kittenish curving of slim white fingers which delighted him, and yearned:

“I do love to play— I mean— I like to drum on the piano, but I haven’t had any real training. Mr. Judique used to say I would’ve been a good pianist if I’d had any training, but then, I guess he was just flattering me.”

“I’ll bet he wasn’t! I’ll bet you’ve got temperament.”

“Oh— Do you like music, Mr. Babbitt?”

“You bet I do! Only I don’t know ’s I care so much for all this classical stuff.”

“Oh, I do! I just love Chopin and all those.”