If you had not been going I should have said 'No' at once." Karl Steinmetz laughed quietly.
"What do I represent ?" he asked.
"Safety," she replied at once.
She gave a queer little laugh and went on dancing.
"And Paul ?" he said, after a little while.
"Strength," replied Maggie promptly.
He looked down at her--a momentary glance of wonder.

He was like a woman, inasmuch as he judged a person by a flicker of the eyelids--a glance, a silence--in preference to judging by the spoken word.
"Then with us both to take care of you, may we hope that you will brave the perils of Osterno?
Ah--the music is stopping." "If I may assure my mother that there are no perils." Something took place beneath the gray mustache--a smile or a pursing up of the lips in doubt.
"Ah, I cannot go so far as that.

You may assure Lady Delafield that I will protect you as I would my own daughter.

If--well, if the good God in heaven had not had other uses for me I should have had a daughter of your age.

Ach! the music has stopped.