Besides, he could not help a touch of the pleasure in Christine's happiness which Mela showed; and he would have gone back to the library, if he could, without being discovered.
But Beaton had seen him, and Dryfoos, with a nonchalant nod to the young man, came forward.

"What you got there, Christine ?" "A banjo," said the girl, blushing in her father's presence.
Mela gurgled.

"Mr.Beaton is learnun' her the first position." Beaton was not embarrassed.

He was in evening dress, and his face, pointed with its brown beard, showed extremely handsome above the expanse of his broad, white shirt-front.

He gave back as nonchalant a nod as he had got, and, without further greeting to Dryfoos, he said to Christine: "No, no.