When you were first introduced to her you called her Miss Stanleymain . Her endurance of that was limited to twenty-four hours . Then she begged you to call her Miss Sylvia , and as Miss Sylvia you spoke and thought of her forevermore . Miss Sylvia liked us all , but I was her favourite . She told us so frankly and let it be understood that when I was talking to her and her heliotrope shawl was allowed to slip under one arm it was a sign that we were not to be interrupted . I was as vain of her favour as any lovelorn suitor whose lady had honoured him , not knowing , as I came to know later , the reason for it . Although Miss Sylvia had an unlimited capacity for receiving confidences , she never gave any . We were all sure that there must be some romance in her life , but our efforts to discover it were unsuccessful . Miss Sylvia parried tentative questions so skilfully that we knew she had something to defend . But one evening , when I had known her a month , as time is reckoned , and long years as affection and understanding are computed , she told me her story -- at least , what there was to tell of it . The last chapter was missing . We were sitting together on the veranda at sunset . Most of the hotel people had gone for a harbour sail ; a few forlorn mortals prowled about the grounds and eyed our corner wistfully , but by the sign of the heliotrope shawl knew it was not for them . I was reading one of my stories to Miss Sylvia . In my own excuse I must allege that she tempted me to do it . I did not go around with manuscripts under my arm , inflicting them on defenceless females . But Miss Sylvia had discovered that I was a magazine scribbler , and moreover , that I had shut myself up in my room that very morning and perpetrated a short story . Nothing would do but that I read it to her . It was a rather sad little story . The hero loved the heroine , and she loved him .
There was no reason why he should not love her , but there was a XXXXX why he could not marry her .
Miss Nothing arm efforts females questions reason room suitor understanding