Spencer was not an M.P. . He had some government post at Dufferin Bluff , and this was his first call at Lone Poplar Villa since Miss Thayer 's arrival . He did not seem to be dazzled by her at all , and after his introduction had promptly retired to a corner with Major Hill , where they talked the whole evening about the trouble on the Indian reservation at Loon Lake . Possibly this indifference piqued Miss Thayer . Possibly she considered it refreshing after the servile adulation of the M.P.s. . At any rate , when all the latter were gathered about the piano singing a chorus with gusto , she shook Madison off and went over to the corner where Spencer , deserted by the Major , whose bass was wanted , was sitting in solitary state . He looked up indifferently as Violet shimmered down on the divan beside him . Sergeant Robinson , who was watching them jealously from the corner beyond the palms , and would have given his eyes , or at least one of them , for such a favour , mentally vowed that Spencer was the dullest fellow he had ever put those useful members on . `` Do n't you sing , Mr. Spencer ? '' asked Violet by way of beginning a conversation , as she turned her splendid eyes full upon him . Robinson would have lost his head under them , but Spencer kept his heroically . `` No , '' was his calmly brief reply , given without any bluntness , but with no evident intention of saying anything more . In spite of her social experience Violet felt disconcerted . `` If he does n't want to talk to me I wo n't try to make him , '' she thought crossly . No man had ever snubbed her so before . Spencer listened immovably to the music for a time . Then he turned to his companion with a palpable effort to be civilly sociable . `` How do you like the west , Miss Thayer ? '' he said . Violet smiled -- the smile most men found dangerous .
`` Very much , so far XXXXX I have seen it .
If after as at beside by for of off to