"I seem to amuse everybody to-night." "Don't you always ?" "I always amuse you, I'm afraid, Alma." She looked at him as if she were going to snub him openly for using her name; but apparently she decided to do it covertly.

"You didn't at first.

I really used to believe you could be serious, once." "Couldn't you believe it again?
Now ?" "Not when you put on that wind-harp stop." "Wetmore has been talking to you about me.

He would sacrifice his best friend to a phrase.

He spends his time making them." "He's made some very pretty ones about you." "Like the one you just quoted ?" "No, not exactly.