Page:Maud Howe - A Newport Aquarelle.djvu/80

 hitherto unclassified crosses her path, she is ready with her little dissecting-knife to peer into the labyrinths of a new phase of human nature.

Another class, perhaps the most dangerous one, into which we are dividing coquettes, includes those women who fancy themselves in love with each fresh lover. These are emotional and sympathetic women, who, being incapable of strong feelings themselves, are borne along by the force of a passion which fascinates them, and which they would gladly reciprocate. In their often renewed disappointment at finding that the new lover cannot make them forget themselves, they feel a sense of injustice, and never dream that they are not the injured ones.

To none of these classes of coquettes did Gladys belong. She had broken her share of hearts in her day, but it was more for want of an occupation than for any other reason. She had no very particular talent