tep until she gave in. Don't
ask her to have you. Tell her you are going to have her whether or no," I
cried, thinking of Rachel's words. He looked so encouraged that I am
afraid I have sent him post-haste to the Flossy girl, and gotten him into
life-long trouble. But I had gone too far. I quite hurried, in my
accidental endeavor to shipwreck him.

"Men do not understand these things, because they will not give time
enough to them. Real love-making requires the patience, the tenderness,
the sympathy which women alone possess in the highest degree. Possibly she
loves you deeply, only you do not believe it. Gauged by a woman's love,
many men love, marry, and die, without even approximating the real grand
passion themselves, or comprehending that which they have inspired, for
no one but a woman can fathom a woman's love."

I couldn't help going on after I started, for he was thinking of the other
woman, and looking at me in a way that would have made my heart turn over,
if I hadn't been an Old Maid, and known that his look was not for me.

Then he ground my rings into my hand until I nearly shrieked with the
pain, and said, "God bless you!" very hoarsely, and dashed out of the
house before I could pull myself together. _I_ say so too. God bless me,
what have I done? I've sent him straight to that Flossy girl. I feel it.
I've smoothed out something between them. I have accidentally made him
articulate, and articulation in such a man as Percival is overpowering. He
is a murdered man, and mine is the hand that slew him.

Tabby, old maids are a public nuisance, not to say dangerous. They ought
to be suppressed.

* * * * *

I wonder if he will burst in upon her with that look upon his face!

V

THE HEART OF A COQUETTE

"Strange, that a film of smoke can blot a star!"

He did. And the woman was--Rachel. Tabby, I never was better pleased with
myself in my life. I love old maids. I think that whenever they are
accidental they are perfectly lovely. But _what_ a risk I ran!

I did not know a thing about it until I received their wedding-cards. It
was just like Rachel not to tell me, and it was insufferably stupid in me
not to use the few wits I am possessed of, and see how matters stood. But
my fears and tremors were that Frankie Taliaferro would get him, so I have
watched her all this time. Percival laughed almo