that the man was gentle, and that his interest in her had
not abated, and it made her suffer a pang of regret. She was in a most
helpless plight.

As for Drouet, his attitude had been that of the jealous lover. Now his
feelings were a mixture of anger at deception, sorrow at losing Carrie,
misery at being defeated. He wanted his rights in some way or other, and
yet his rights included the retaining of Carrie, the making her feel her
error.

"Will you?" he urged.

"Well, I'll see," said Carrie.

This left the matter as open as before, but it was something. It looked
as if the quarrel would blow over, if they could only get some way of
talking to one another. Carrie was ashamed, and Drouet aggrieved. He
pretended to take up the task of packing some things in a valise.

Now, as Carrie watched him out of the corner of her eye, certain sound
thoughts came into her head. He had erred, true, but what had she done?
He was kindly and good-natured for all his egotism. Throughout this
argument he had said nothing very harsh. On the other hand, there
was Hurstwood--a greater deceiver than he. He had pretended all this
affection, all this passion, and he was lying to her all the while. Oh,
the perfidy of men! And she had loved him. There could be nothing more
in that quarter. She would see Hurstwood no more. She would write him
and let him know what she thought. Thereupon what would she do? Here
were these rooms. Here was Drouet, pleading for her to remain. Evidently
things could go on here somewhat as before, if all were arranged. It
would be better than the street, without a place to lay her head.

All this she thought of as Drouet rummaged the drawers for collars and
laboured long and painstakingly at finding a shirt-stud. He was in no
hurry to rush this matter. He felt an attraction to Carrie which would
not down. He could not think that the thing would end by his walking out
of the room. There must be some way round, some way to make her own up
that he was right and she was wrong--to patch up a peace and shut
out Hurstwood for ever. Mercy, how he turned at the man's shameless
duplicity.

"Do you think," he said, after a few moments' silence, "that you'll try
and get on the stage?"

He was wondering what she was intending.

"I don't know what I'll do yet," said Carrie.

"If you do, maybe I can help you. I've got a lot of friends in that
line."

She made no answer to this.

"Don't go and try to knock around now w