'Why?'
'Because she never could have appeared again the same evening.'
Miss Innis smiled, and spoke of something else. The little hit did not seem in the least to gratify her.
Hiram noted this. 'Youth and beauty can well afford to be amiable, but it does not always happen that they are so,' he whispered.
Miss Innis looked at him seriously, but made no reply; and the two took seats within the recess of a window.
At this moment Miss Thorne, having stopped waltzing, passed across the room to the same vicinity, and stood talking with a gentleman, in a position to command a view of the couple just seated. As Hiram raised his eyes he encountered hers, for she was looking intently toward him. He saw enough to be satisfied that his plans were working to perfection.
Without appearing to notice her presence, he continued the conversation with his partner, and so engrossing did it become on both sides that neither seemed aware of the rapid flight of the hours. And it was only when Miss Innis perceived that the rooms were becoming thinned that she started up with an exclamation of surprise that it was so late.
Hiram Meeker walked slowly homeward. He could not resist a certain influence from stealing over him.
'Why is it,' he muttered to himself, 'that all the handsome girls are without money, and all the rich ones are ugly?'
He drew a long sigh, as if it were hard for him to give up such a lovely creature. He soon reached his lodgings, and going to his room, he seated himself before the fire, which burned cheerfully in the grate, and remained for a time completely lost in thought.