These
misgivings burdened his mind even as he swung lightly with her to the
music, and they talked together in little snatches.
He had forgotten Miss Spencer, forgotten everything else about him,
permitting himself to become enthralled by this strange girl whose name
even he did not know. In every way she had appealed to his
imagination, awakening his interest, his curiosity, his respect, and
even now, when some secret seemed to sway her conduct, it merely served
to strengthen his resolve to advance still farther in her regard.
There are natures which welcome strife; they require opposition,
difficulty, to develop their real strength. Brant was of this breed.
The very conception that some person, even some inanimate thing, might
stand between him and the heart of this fair woman acted upon him like
a stimulant.
The last of the two waltzes ended, they walked slowly through the
scattering throng, he striving vainly to arouse her to the former
independence and intimacy of speech. While endeavoring bravely to
exhibit interest, her mind too clearly wandered, and there was borne in
slowly upon him the distasteful idea that she would prefer being left
alone.
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