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 lighting plants—but I simply had not known it when I saw them.

Think of the time it took me to identify Cleopatra, whom I'd made my chief companion that night.

Now she meant to me, besides what she was herself, a chance for getting into touch again with all that world. I got to thinking particularly of her friend, Magellan, and looking for him in the offing. But if he were about, I didn't recognize him; she spoke to nobody and seemed not to be expecting any one. She just kept on down the boulevard, minding her own business and glancing, as any girl would, into show windows. Then suddenly she stopped, entered a store and, during the six seconds she was in ahead of me, she did an expert disappearing piece. She was gone; absolutely!

I stood and waited; I wandered about but drew a total blank. I taxied down to the Blackstone where she said she was staying. I thought I shouldn't have believed that; yet it was true. There she was registered—at least somebody was registered, "Doris Wellington and maid, Denver."

By a little casual questioning, I made sure it was she; and by my soul I couldn't help liking