“It would be better,” replied Miss Archer. “Let me see—Mrs. Simonson does not play—”
“Mr. Norton does!” interrupted Quimby, forgetting the door, in his eagerness to be of service. “I—I would willingly ask him to join us, if you will allow me!”
“That queer young artist who lodges here, you mean?” inquired Miss Archer.
“Oh! But he is a dreadful Bohemian!” commented Nattie, distrustfully, before Quimby could reply.
“Is he?” laughed Miss Archer. “Then ask him in by all means! I am something of a Bohemian myself, and shall be delighted to meet a kindred soul! I do not know as I have ever observed the gentleman particularly, but if I remember rightly, he wears his hair very closely cropped, and is not a model of beauty?”
“But he is just as nice a fellow as if he was handsome outside!” said Quimby earnestly, doubtless aware of his own shortcomings in the Adonis line. “He is a little queer to be sure, doesn’t believe in love or sentiment or anything of that sort, you know, and he says he wears his hair cropped close because people have a general idea that artists are long-haired, lackadaisical fellows—not to say untidy, you know—and he is determined that no one shall be able to say it of him!”
Miss Archer was much amused at this description.
“He certainly is an odd genius, and decidedly worth knowing. Bring him in, I beg of you,” she said.
But Quimby hesitated and glanced at Nattie.
“He is not very unconventional, I—I do not think he will shock you very much if you do not get him at it, you know!” he said to her apologetically.
“Oh! I am not at all alarmed!” said Nattie, adding, as her thoughts reverted to Miss Kling, “I think, after all, a Bohemian is better than a perfect model of conventionalism!”
Miss Archer heartily endorsed this sentiment, and Quimby went in quest of Mr. Norton, with whom he soon returned.
Unlike enough to the melancholy artist of romantic fame was Mr. Norton. Short, rather stout, inclined to be red in the face, large-nosed, scrupulously neat in dress, clean shaven, and closely-cropped hair—all this the observing Miss Archer saw at a glance as she bowed to him in response to Quimby’s introduction. But the second glance showed her that the expression of his face was so jovial that its plainness vanished as if by magic on his first smile.
If Nattie, possibly a trifle prejudiced in his disfavor, expected him to outrage common propriety in some way, such as keeping on his hat, smoking a black pipe, or turning up his pantaloons leg, she was utterly—shall we say disappointed? Truth to tell, before ten minutes had elapsed from the time of his arrival, she was wishing she knew more “Bohemians,” and even hoping C was one!
At home as soon as he entered the room, in a very short time the strangers of a moment ago were his lifelong friends. Full of anecdotes and quaint remarks, he was the life of the little party. Miss Archer, however, was a very able backer—Cyn, as they all found themselves calling her soon after Jo Norton’s advent, and forevermore.
“Cyn was,” as its owner said, “short” for the samewhat lofty name of Cynthia.
Doubtless, the fact of these two, who were partners, beating nearly every game they played, was not without its effect in promoting their most genial feelings. A result brought about, not so much by their skill, as by Quimby’s perpetually forgetting what was trumps, confounding the right and left bowers, and disregarding the power of the joker.
And in truth Quimby’s mind was more on his partner than on the game, and he was becoming more and more awake to the fact that his heart was fast filling with admiration and adoration of which she was the object, and inevitably must soon overflow! For Nattie was really looking her very best this evening. It was excitement and animation that her face depended upon for its beauty. Miss Archer’s companionship, too, was doing much towards promoting the cheerfulness that brought so clear a light to her eyes—the light that was now dazzling Quimby. For Cyn was one of those people who live always in the sunshine, and seem to carry its own brightness around with them, while Nattie, on the contrary, oftentimes dwelt among the shadows, and a touch of their somberness hung over her, and showed itself upon her face.
But none of these lurking shadows were there tonight, and as a consequence, Quimby was unable to keep his eyes off her, and sighed, and made misdeals, and became generally mixed. His embarrassment was not lessened when Cyn mischievously informed him he had certainly found favor in the eyes of Miss Fishblate—who had called upon her the day before. He dropped the pack of cards he happened to have in his hand at the moment, all over the floor, and then dived so hastily to pick them up that his head came in violent contact with the edge of the table, and for a moment he was almost stunned.
But in answer to Cyn’s anxious inquiry if he was hurt, he replied,
“It’s nothing! I—I am used to it, you know!” Notwithstanding which assertion his forehead developed such a sudden and terrific bump of benevolence, that Cyn insisted upon binding her handkerchief over it. Thus, with his head tied up, and secretly lamenting the unornamental figure he now presented to the eyes of his partner and charmer, Quimby resumed the game. But what with this cause of uneasiness, and a latent fear that Cyn’s jesting remark about Celeste might be true, a fear he had privately been conscious of previously, although the least conceited of mortals, Quimby played so badly—and indeed would undoubtedly have answered “checkers,” had he been asked suddenly what game he was playing, on account of his meditations on a checkered existence—that the cards were soon abandoned, and Cyn delighted them with several songs, and a recitation of “Lady Clara Vere de Vere.”
While Cyn was singing, Nattie happened to glance at Mr. Norton, and
