sky explained that he had not had his dress
clothes on for a long time, and tonight,
when he was going to play for a concert, his
waistcoat had split down the back. He
thought he could pin it together until he got
it to a tailor.

Lena took him by the elbow and turned
him round. She laughed when she saw the
long gap in the satin. "You could never pin
that, Mr. Ordinsky. You've kept it folded
too long, and the goods is all gone along the
crease. Take it off. I can put a new piece of
lining-silk in there for you in ten minutes."
She disappeared into her work-room with
the vest, leaving me to confront the Pole, who
stood against the door like a wooden figure.
He folded his arms and glared at me with his
excitable, slanting brown eyes. His head was
the shape of a chocolate drop, and was cov-
ered with dry, straw-colored hair that fuzzed
up about his pointed crown. He had never
done more than mutter at me as I passed him,
and I was surprised when he now addressed
me.

"Miss Lingard," he said haughtily, "is a
young woman for whom I have the utmost,
the utmost respect."

[[323]]

p322 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p323w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p324

v?