The Love of Long Ago Author:Marie Corelli Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: THE BOY AN EPISODE THEY were sitting opposite each other at a table for two in a certain restaurant made "popular" during the "Danse Macabre" of the war. T... more »he Boy was fair, with bold, clear blue eyes under well-arched brows — and save for a certain delicate sensitiveness in the lines of his mouth and chin, his features made what is called a "strong" face. The Girl — his companion — was pretty, with that sort of prettiness found every day among barmaids and waitresses — good skin, plenty of hair, excellent false teeth, and roving eyes which wandered where they listed without any marked expression in them save lively self-appreciation and sharp inquisitiveness. She was older than the Boy, but by reason of her artistic make-up, delicately tinted cheeks, and over- rubied lips, passed muster for being as young, or younger. He had met her at one of the "halls"; she had dropped her purse, he had picked it up for her, and then had assisted her to make way through the crowd that pushed to the door of exit; and she, seeing from the badge on his khaki that he was from overseas, and OPTHB a lieutenant in a Canadian regiment, engaged him in conversation with many provocative flashes of the roving eyes aforesaid, with the result that the Boy was somewhat dazzled and attracted by her prettiness, and asked her to lunch with him next day. Very rash and silly of him!—but "boys will be boys!" She told him she was "in the War Office"—(by the way, it is remarkable what a number of" painted-lady " butterflies find work in that important section of Government activity!)—a statement which he confidingly accepted. Their little luncheon together was quite pleasant— she chatted girlishly, and amused him for the moment, till, the meal being over, he offered her a cigarette, and lighting one him...« less