She must have been startled. Pray convey
to her my solicitude and excuses."
"Consider it done, my dear sir," said the Irishman. "Our most charming
and seductive guest," he went on. "Bedad, of the two of you, I'll
stake me head you were startled the most. Coming suddenly upon such
rare loveliness is almost equivalent to being struck by a bolt of
lightning. It did something like that to me when I saw her for the
first time a couple of weeks ago. I didn't get over it for the better
part of a day,--I can't say that I really got over it at all. More
than one painter of portraits has said that she is the most beautiful
woman in the world. I don't take much stock in portrait painters, but
I'm always fair to the lords of creation when their opinions coincide
with mine. Mayhap you have heard of her. She is Miss Cameron of New
Orleans, a friend of Mrs. Van Dyke. We have quite an enchanting house-
party, Mr. Barnes, if you consider no more than the feminine side of
it. Unfortunate creatures! To be saddled with such ungainly lummixes
as De Soto and me! By the way, have you heard when the coroner is to
hold his inquests?"
"Nothing definite. He may wait a week," said Barnes.
"I suppose you'll stick around until it's all over," ventured O'Dowd.
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