anted desperately to cry but bit her lip and
held back her tears.

"I think I know what you mean, Cynthia," Hugh said softly. "I don't know
much about love and sex attraction and that sort of thing, but I know
that I was happier kissing you than I've ever been in my life. I--I wish
that last night hadn't happened. I hate myself."

"You needn't. It was more my fault than yours. I'm a pretty bad egg, I
guess; and the booze and you holding me was too much. I hate myself,
too. I've spoiled the nicest thing that ever happened to me." She looked
up at him, her eyes bright with tears. "I _did_ love you, Hugh. I loved
you as much as I could love any one."

Hugh put his arms around her and drew her to him. Then he bent his head
and kissed her gently. There was no passion in his embrace, but there
was infinite tenderness. He felt spiritually and physically weak, as if
all his emotional resources had been quite spent.

"I think that I love you more than I ever did before," he whispered.

If he had shown any passion, if there had been any warmth in his kiss,
Cynthia might have believed him, but she was aware only of his
gentleness. She pushed him back and drew out of his arms.

"No," she said sharply; "you don't love me. You're just sorry for
me.... You're just kind."

Hugh had read "Marpessa" many times, and a line from it came to make her
attitude clear:

"thou wouldst grow kind;
Most bitter to a woman that was loved."

"Oh, I don't know; I don't know," he said miserably. "Let's not call
everything off now, Cynthia. Let's wait a while."

"No!" She stood up decisively. "No. I hate loose ends." She glanced at
her tiny wrist-watch. "If I'm going to make that train, I've got to
hurry. We've got barely half an hour. Come, Hugh. Be a sport."

He stood up, his face white and weary, his blue eyes dull and sad.

"Just as you say, Cynthia," he said slowly. "But I'm going to miss you
like hell."

She did not reply but started silently for the path. He followed her,
and they walked back to the fraternity house without saying a word, both
busy with unhappy thoughts.

When they reached the fraternity, she got her suit-case, handed it to
him, declined his offer of a taxi, and walked unhappily by his side down
the hill that they had climbed so gaily two days before. Hugh had just
time to get her ticket before the train started.

She paused a moment at the car steps and held o