'Old'! I knew I should!" She caught Sally's good-natured smile and felt again like a mere child.
From this moment on she would take care! She avoided personal topics, and growing grave and dignified she turned the conversation from Joe to music, concerts, the opera, "Salome," "Louise." She carefully showed she was up to date, not only in music but in other things, books she had discussed years ago in the club of the little history "prof," and others she had been reading since--Montessori, "Jean Christophe." Hiding her tense anxiety under a manner smooth as oil, she talked politely on and on, and she felt she was doing better now.

So much better! No more stupid breaks or girlish gush, but a modern intelligent woman of parts.
And a glow of hope rose in her breast.

A little more of this, she thought, and she would be ready to break off, and with a sudden appealing smile take her new friend into her confidence, tell of her trouble and ask for advice.
But the smile came from her visitor.

Mrs.Crothers had risen and was holding out her hand.

And as Ethel stared in dismay at that smile, which displayed such an easy indifference to her and all her view of life, her only woman friend in New York said: "I'm so sorry I've got to run.