In turning away to answer she gave him a chance to escape, but he waited, and when she was free again she felt that he had been watching her.
He smiled, and stood erect as though impelled by an agreeable thought.
"We don't meet very often, Miss Garrison, and this is hardly the place for long conversations; you're busy, too; but I'd like to ask you something." "Certainly, Mr.Bassett!" The newest two-step struck up and she swung her head for a moment in time to it and looked out upon the swaying forms of the dancers.
"That's Marian's favorite," she said.
"That afternoon, after the convention, you remember--" "Of course, Mr.Bassett; I remember perfectly." "You laughed!" They both smiled; and it seemed to him that now, as then, it was a smile of understanding, a curious reciprocal exchange that sufficed without elucidation in words.
"Well!" said Sylvia.
"Would you mind telling me just why you laughed ?" "Oh! That would be telling a lot of things." Any one seeing them might have thought that this middle-aged gentleman was taking advantage of an opportunity to bask in the smile of a pretty girl for the sheer pleasure of her company.

He was purposely detaining her, but whether from a wish to amuse himself or to mark his indifference to what went on around him she did not fathom.

The fact was that Sylvia had wondered herself a good deal about that interview in Mrs.Owen's house, and she was not quite sure why she had laughed.
"I'd really like to know, Miss Garrison.

If I knew why you laughed at me--" "Oh, I didn't laugh at you! At least--it wasn't just you alone I was laughing at!" "Not at me ?" His look of indifference vanished wholly; he seemed sincerely interested as he waited for her reply, delayed a moment by the passing of a group of youngsters from the ballroom to the fresher air of the hall.
"I know perfectly well this isn't a good place to be serious in; but I laughed--Do you really want to know ?" "Yes, please.

Don't try to spare my feelings; they're pretty badly shot up anyhow." "It must have been because it struck me as funny that a man like you--with all your influence and power--your capacity for doing big things--should go to so much trouble merely to show another man your contempt for him.