第3章

He reached down in his hip pocket and took out a fat purse.It was filled with slips of paper, some mileage books, a roll of greenbacks.It impressed her deeply.Such a purse had never been carried by any one attentive to her.Indeed, an experienced traveller, a brisk man of the world, had never come within such close range before.The purse, the shiny tan shoes, the smart new suit, and the air with which he did things, built up for her a dim world of fortune, of which he was the centre.It disposed her pleasantly toward all he might do.

He took out a neat business card, on which was engraved Bartlett, Caryoe & Company, and down in the left-hand corner, Chas.H.

Drouet.

"That's me," he said, putting the card in her hand and touching his name."It's pronounced Drew-eh.Our family was French, on my father's side."

She looked at it while he put up his purse.Then he got out a letter from a bunch in his coat pocket."This is the house I

travel for," he went on, pointing to a picture on it, "corner of State and Lake." There was pride in his voice.He felt that it was something to be connected with such a place, and he made her feel that way.

"What is your address?" he began again, fixing his pencil to write.

She looked at his hand.

"Carrie Meeber," she said slowly."Three hundred and fifty-four West Van Buren Street, care S.C.Hanson."

He wrote it carefully down and got out the purse again."You'll be at home if I come around Monday night?" he said.

"I think so," she answered.

How true it is that words are but the vague shadows of the volumes we mean.Little audible links, they are, chaining together great inaudible feelings and purposes.Here were these two, bandying little phrases, drawing purses, looking at cards, and both unconscious of how inarticulate all their real feelings were.Neither was wise enough to be sure of the working of the mind of the other.He could not tell how his luring succeeded.

She could not realise that she was drifting, until he secured her address.Now she felt that she had yielded something--he, that he had gained a victory.Already they felt that they were somehow associated.Already he took control in directing the conversation.His words were easy.Her manner was relaxed.

They were nearing Chicago.Signs were everywhere numerous.

Trains flashed by them.Across wide stretches of flat, open prairie they could see lines of telegraph poles stalking across the fields toward the great city.Far away were indications of suburban towns, some big smokestacks towering high in the air.

Frequently there were two-story frame houses standing out in the open fields, without fence or trees, lone outposts of the approaching army of homes.