t unpardonable injury one friend can do to another, without a scruple
and without a hesitation, but he had shown the same baseness to her. He
made her unhappy. He made her cry. He wanted to marry for money and come
back again, treacherous to every one--hard, heartless, selfish, vulgar
in mind and in attitude to life. Romer hated him.

Well! Romer would tell him that very day that he had changed his mind
and that he was to go anywhere--anyhow--only to go. Neither he nor
Valentia should ever see him again.

Valentia seemed a long way off. She seemed remote and distant. That was
because he was still hurt and angry. When Harry had once gone, perhaps
she would seem near again.

CHAPTER XXXVI

RECONCILIATION

Romer had made one mistake in his calculations. He had forgotten that
Harry was a talker. He fully believed that the young man would go back
and get all possible credit from Valentia for breaking off the
engagement, and would adhere to the very letter of their strange
agreement. This, indeed, Harry fully intended to do. When he first went
back he told her, to her immense joy and satisfaction, merely that he
had broken it off. But when some people who had come to dinner had gone
away and she and Harry could be alone, the habit of confidential gossip,
the habit, especially, of impressing and surprising her, and, above all,
the inability to keep to himself anything so amazing, was too strong for
him.

Picturesquely, vividly, and quite amusingly Harry told her every word of
the story; first exacting a solemn promise not to repeat it.

"Isn't he _impayable_? Isn't he a marvel? No, Valentia, don't look so
grave, or I shall think you've lost your sense of humour."

"But do you believe he really thinks----"

"He doesn't think," said Harry, stopping her. "He won't think. You're
faultless in his eyes. He would never allow himself to imagine you
anything else. Valentia, this is a wonderful situation--you don't
appreciate it! It's unheard of! He particularly wished that everything
should go on as before."

He took her hand. She immediately took it away and drew back coldly.

"A wonderful situation! Do you think Van Buren will enjoy it?" she asked
satirically.

"Van Buren! What on earth do you mean, Val? Do you suppose for a minute
that I'd talk about it?"

"I know you will. You couldn't resist it. It's _impayable_ you say....
Oh, but it was mean of you to tell me!"

"Mean!" cried Harry indignantly. "Why, it