Cynthia joined quite generously in his laugh, notwith-standing its hard note of ridicule. She had become keenly interested in this man, in spite of--possibly in consequence of--the rebuffs he so unsparingly adminis-tered. She was not accustomed to rebuffs, this girl with her delicate, flower- like beauty. They held for her some-thing of the charm of novelty, and abashed her not at all..