f course he loved her. He must
answer. He made a great effort and spoke, nodding his head.

"Yes. Oh, yes. I do love her."

Kate came closer, close enough to see the dumb pain in his eyes. She
exclaimed aloud, "Philip! Is it Channing then, after all? You think he
has come between you--irrevocably? No, but you are wrong! That is over,
absolutely over. It is for you to take out the sting.--See, Philip, I am
going to be quite frank with you, franker than women generally are, even
with themselves. You don't know much about girls. I do--about my own
girl, at least, for I was just such a girl once.--There comes a time to
young women, as to all young animals, when we look about us for our
mates. We may not seek, perhaps, but we look about. And the first that
comes--is very welcome, Philip.--That is all. Nature's way. If
Jacqueline still thinks of Channing--well, it is only blessed human
instinct to put aside the thing that hurts. But you must help her--she
can't do it, alone. Only a new love drives out the hurt of the old.
Jacqueline needs you, dear."

He put out a protesting hand. She was asking him for help, his lady. He
must not let her beg....

He said with stiff lips, "You think--she--would be willing--to marry
me?"

Kate nodded. "I suspect she'd like to show Mr. Channing as soon as
possible how little impression he has left behind him!--But it wouldn't
be that, of course," she added, seriously. "Underneath the other affair,
she's always been a little in love with you, Philip. Women are complex
creatures, with a capacity for being attracted quite in proportion to
their capacity for attracting.... And after you are once married--You
know, there's really no mystery about mating, except what the poets
make. Nature goes about it with a beautiful simplicity. Given two young
creatures, handsome, clean, healthy, mutually sympathetic, throw them
together a while without too many distractions--and there you are! It's
as inevitable as that two and two make four. Don't think too much about
it, dear--you're too watchful, too introspective. Just let go, and be
natural. She's very sweet, my Jacqueline, very loving and tender. And
you--well, you're not unattractive, you know! Don't worry.--Why, I give
you my word as a mother, as a woman," she exclaimed, "that a month after
you and Jacqueline are married, you will both have forgotten any
ridiculous little obstacle that ever kept you apart!..."

She kissed him lightly on the cheek.