Page:Elizabeth Jordan--Tales of the city room.djvu/156

 one, as she always did, and had received Miss Herrick's courteous refusal with the wonted air of sweet and regretful surprise. She was learning the art of making "rings," and essayed several with melancholy results, before she got round to the lighter and more easily managed matter of the enamoured mountaineer.

"Why?" she asked at length, with indolent curiosity.

"Because he is wholly out of his element here," responded the newspaper woman, with convincing candor. "He is as much out of place in this rôle as a wild thing would be in a cage. Besides, he is n't smart; he is n't entertaining; he has n't a cent. He would develop into an unmitigated bore. You would have trouble in getting him off your hands. The most sensible as well as the kindest thing you can possibly do is to pack him off home."

Dolorita laughed as she leaned back, watching with half-closed eyes the obstinate little puffs of smoke that would not form into circles.

"Well, amiga mia, rejoice," she said,