"Oh, really?" Opal arched her already permanently arched, plucked brows
and laughed again. "Well, you certainly have lots of pep. I believe I'm
going to like you. Let's sit down and you tell me about yourself?"

"Why don't you tell me about yourself?" hedged Marilyn
relaxing into a chair and leaving the deep leather one for her guest,
"I'm really a very simple affair, just a country girl very glad to get
home after four years at college. There's nothing complex and nothing
to tell I assure you."

"You're entirely too sophisticated for all that simplicity," declared
Opal, "I suppose it's college that has given you so much poise. But why
aren't you impressed with Laurie? Simply everybody is impressed
with Laurie! I don't believe you even know who he is!"

Lynn laughed: "How should I? And what difference would it make any way? As for being
impressed, he gave me the impression of a very badly spoiled boy out
trying to have his own way, and making a great fuss because he couldn't
get it."

"And you didn't know that his father is William J. Shafton, the
multi-millionaire?" Opal brought the words out like little sharp
points that seemed to glitter affluently as she spoke them.

"No," said Marilyn, "I didn't know. But it doesn't matter. We hadn't
anything better to offer him than we've given, and I don't know why I
should have been impressed by that. A man is what he is, isn't he? Not
what his father is. He isn't your--brother--is he? I was over at
the church when you arrived and didn't hear the introductions. I didn't
even get your name."