, "I _am_ luxurious, I _am_ dependent
on those things. But whose fault is that? It's the way I was brought
up--it's all wrong. But, even though I am dependent on them, I believe
I could exist without them. I'd feel like killing myself if I didn't
think so. Sometimes I want to go away and find out if I couldn't
live and be myself without all this background of luxury. But at the
worst--I'm just one girl--suppose I were weak and couldn't get on
without them? That wouldn't prove that they are right. I'm not so
blinded that I can't see that a system by which I profit may still be
absolutely wrong. But you always seem to think, Eddie, that it's
part of the Constitution of the United States that you should have
everything you've always had."

Eddie rose, too, with the manner of a man who has allowed things to
go far enough. "Look here, my dear girl," he said, "I am a man and I'm
older than you, and have seen more of the world. I know you don't
mean any harm, but I must tell you that this is very wicked, dangerous
talk."

"Dangerous, perhaps, Eddie, but I can't see how it can be wicked to
want to give up your special privileges."

"Where in the world do you pick up ideas like this?"

"I inherited them from an English ancestor of mine, who gave up all
that he had when he enlisted in Washington's army."

"You got that stuff," said Eddie, brushing this aside, "from David
Moreton, and that infernal seditious paper his brother edits--and that
white-livered book which I haven't read against war. I'd like to put
them all in jail."

"It's a pity," said Crystal, "that your side can't think of a better
argument than putting everyone who disagrees with you in jail."

With this she turned and left him, and, entering the ballroom, flung
herself into the arms of the first partner she met. It was a timid
boy, who, startled by the eagerness with which she chose him, with
her bright eyes and quickly drawn breath, was just coming to
the conclusion that a lovely, rich, and admired lady, had fallen
passionately in love with him, when with equal suddenness she stepped
out of his arms and was presently driving her small, open car down the
avenue.

Under the purple beech Eddie, left alone, sank back on the stone bench
and considered, somewhat as the persecutors of Socrates may have done,
suitable punishments for those who put vile, revolutionary ideas into
the heads of young and lovely women.

In the meantime Ben, who had enjoyed the par