Thorne was fond of these informal visits; his interest in Pocahontas had increased; the chord, instead of merely vibrating, was beginning to give out faint, sweet notes, like a far-off dream of music, just stirring toward embodiment.  He took a keen artistic pleasure in her, she satisfied him, and at first he was almost shy of pressing the acquaintance lest she should fail somewhere.  He had been disappointed so many times, had had so many exquisite bubbles float before him, to break at a touch and leave only dirty soap-suds.  He let himself be interested slowly, drawing out the pleasure, and getting its full flavor.  Then, when he found that it was true metal and might be worked at will without fear of baseness, or alloy, he gave himself up to the pleasure of it.  Then, his instinct being always to draw to himself what he desired, he strove to awaken an interest in her.  He was a man of unusually brilliant attainments, and he spared no pains.  He began to seek her society, and, when in it, to exert himself and appear always at his best, trying to fascinate her as she was, unconsciously, beginning to fascinate him.  He would entrap her into ventilating her old-fashioned ideas and prejudices; her primitive notions of life and conduct.  Her straightforwardness, simplicity, absolute truthfulness, struck him as quaint and delicious; even her romance and almost German sentiment were attractive to him.  He felt like a scientist, who discovers old truths in an absolutely new development.  Early in their acquaintance he discovered her fondness for old legends, and her perfect acceptance of, and faith in them; and it was his delight to beguile her into relating tales of her kindred, and of the olden times so dear to the hearts of Virginians.  Her remarks and comments often touched, always interested him, although sometimes they well-nigh convulsed him with amusement.  To the mind of the man of the world they appeared so—­almost obsolete.

Pocahontas was generally willing enough to tell her stories, unless indeed Norma happened to be present, and then the improvisatrice was dumb.  Pocahontas was not in sympathy with Norma.  Norma thought old stories great rubbish, and did not scruple to show that such was her opinion, and Pocahontas resented it.  One evening, in the beginning of their acquaintance, the three girls had walked down to the old willows at the foot of the lawn, and Pocahontas, for the amusement of her guests, had related the little story connected with them.

“I think it was all great foolishness,” Norma declared.  “If she loved the man, why not marry him at once like a sensible woman?  The idea of making him wait three years, and watch a rubbishing little tree, just because his brother would have made a scene.  What if he did make a scene?  He would soon have submitted to the inevitable, and made friends.  The lady couldn’t have cared much for her lover, to be willing to put up with that driveling probation.”