to hope, and all that sort
of thing. Therefore those that don't make the most of youth and all that
goes with it are something more than fools."

Magdalena looked at her in dismay. "How do you realise that, at your
age? I have lived alone, thought more--had more time to think and to
read--but I never should--"

"I have intuitions. And I've seen more of the world than you have. I see
everything that goes on--you can bet your life on that. Talk about my
powers of concentration! They're nothing to my antennae."

"But have you no principles of right and wrong? No morality? You would
not deliberately sacrifice others to your own pleasure, would you?"

"Wouldn't I? I don't take the least pleasure in cruelty, like some
women. If I could give people oblivion draughts, I'd do it in a
minute--for my vanity has nothing to do with it, either. But the world
is at my feet, and there it shall stay, no matter who pays the piper. I
love life. I love everything about it. I've never seen anything in the
world I thought ugly. I don't think anything is ugly. If it was, I
should hate it. I've never been through a slum,--a horrid slum, that
is,--and I don't want to. The beauty of the earth intoxicates me. When I
even think about it, much less look at it, I feel perfectly wild with
delight to think that I am alive. And my senses are so keen. I see so
far. I can hear miles. I believe I can hear the grass grow. I eat and
drink little, but that little gives me delight. A glass of cold spring
water intoxicates me. And, above all, I enjoy being loved. I never
forget how much you and papa love me. I couldn't exist without either of
you. Papa is looking much better since he came down. Don't you think so?
And I like to see love in the eyes of men I don't care a rap about.
Their eyes are like impersonal mirrors for me to read the secrets of the
future in. And I don't really hurt them. Most men have a lot of
superfluous love in them. I may as well have it as another. It won't
interfere with the destination of the reserve in the least."

"Helena!" exclaimed Magdalena, with a sinking heart. "I believe you are
a genius."

"I have the genius of personality, but I couldn't do a thing to save my
life."

Magdalena breathed freely again.

X

Trennahan, who was to have arrived in time to dine with the Belmonts and
Yorbas, missed his train and took his dinner alone. Afterward, he saw
Magdalena for a few moments in the Yorbas' private parlour, b