she could not prevent her eyes from glowing with laughter when someone paid her outrageously flowery compliments , nor could she stop the animated glow that leapt to her cheeks when she was challenged to a race in hyde park ; nor completely hide her fascination with the tales a noted explorer told of his recent jaunt through the wild jungles of a distant continent , where , he said , the natives carried spears that had been dipped in deadly poison .