“I’m glad you did not say it!” she exclaimed. “I know I’m not homely. Frank of me to say so, isn’t it? But I do not believe in false modesty, Mr. Merriwell, and I have sense enough to know what my mirror tells me. Now, that is unconventional, you must confess.”
It was, in truth, and something about it charmed and attracted him as he had been charmed and attracted by this girl the first time he saw her. She was not merely an ordinary girl who did the same things and said the same things as other girls. She had ways of her own which made her seem original and attractive and fascinating. To himself Frank confessed that she possessed a most dangerous power of fascination if she but knew how to wield it.
“Rather unconventional,” he acknowledged, laughing. “But you have not explained why you failed to bow to me when you recognized me on the street.”
“Perhaps I cannot explain, for it may be that I do not quite know myself.”
This was strange, and Frank feared she was trying to evade the point by an adroit turn.
“And you will not permit me to take you home?”
“I have no real home in New York; I’m simply stopping here for the time.”
“You will not allow me to take you to your stopping-place?”
“I think you had better not, Mr. Merriwell.”
“It is for you to choose; but there is much we might talk about, and——”
She had seemed to waver for a moment. Frank’s thoughts flew swiftly. They were approaching Forty-second Street.
“Then, if you will not do that,” he said, “here is Shanley’s, just ahead, and we can go in there.”
“You are dressed all right, Miss Dugan. It is early yet, and the swells will not be out for some time. I hardly think we shall provoke ridicule by our dress. Will you come?”
“Oh, I’ve thought I’d like to go there, but I’ve never had a proper escort, and——”
“I didn’t mean that, but—but—what will you think?”
It was rather remarkable for her to care what anybody thought, as Frank realized, even though he had known so little of her; therefore her fear lest he should think badly of her was a decided compliment to him, for it told that she wished to stand well in his eyes, at least.
“Miss Dugan, under the circumstances, I see no reason why we should be extremely conventional and proper. We’ll stop at Shanley’s.”