He became as vividly conscious of her femininity as he had been when she laughed in the dark.
There was the same sustained pulsing, vital emotion in this silence.
He explained hastily: "A girl's reputation is a fragile thing, Sally." And she recovered herself with a start, but not before he saw and understood.

It was as if, in the midst of an exciting hand, with the wagers running high, he had seen her cards and knew that his own hand was higher.

The pleasant sense of mastery made a warmth through him.
"Meaning that they'd talk about me?
Bard, they've already said enough things about me to fill a book--notes and all, with a bunch of pictures thrown in.

What I can't live down I fight down, and no man never says the same thing twice about me.

It ain't healthy.