"Another public idol shattered!" she exclaimed merrily.
He joined in the fun with her, in his frank, boyish way.
Virginia grew more serious. Thoughtfully she continued:
"In the last interview which the newspapers had with you--"
"You neglected to say, 'making my first thousand dollars was the hardest task of all.' All successful men do that; why not you?"
He looked at her for a moment in an amused kind of way. Then carelessly he answered:
"Making the first thousand was about the easiest for me. I got hold of some information about a certain stock, borrowed a hundred from a friend, put it up as margin in a bucket shop, and by pressing my luck, made and got my first thousand without any trouble whatever."
Virginia looked straight at him, admiration as much for his personality as for his achievements showing plainly in the expression of her large, black eyes. Slowly she said:
"And it was that, I suppose, which started you on the way to the City of Big Things. I like that phrase--The City of Big Things.'"
He nodded as he answered: "It's a great city--the only one worth living in."
"And you are one of the most prominent inhabitants."
"I wouldn't go so far as to say that," he laughed in an embarrassed sort of way. "Still, every one in the city knows I'm living there."
The girl made no reply, but absent-mindedly looked away in the direction of the library, where Fanny and her intended were heard chattering. For a few moments she sat still, as if engrossed in thought. Then suddenly she turned toward him. Impulsively she said:
"I wonder how it must feel to be a man--and successful!"
"It feels great! To know that you've done something; to know that you've made a name and a place for yourself; to realize that no one dare try to walk over you; to feel that your bitterest enemy respects you and your rights because if he doesn't it means a fight to the finish--that makes a man feel good--"
"I should think it would!" she exclaimed.
"And then," he went on, "success means money, and money means power, and luxury and every comfort that the world can give. If a successful man wishes to travel by land, he has his private car, if he wishes to travel by sea, he has his own yacht, and so it goes."
"It must be wonderful to be like you, and have everything that you could wish for."