d allow it?"

"I might make her my wife."

"And do you think that you would be happy with her, or she with you,
after what has passed?"

"I do think so."

"I do not. It might be possible that she could bring herself to marry
you. Women delight to forgive injuries. They like the excitement of
generosity. But she could never forget that you had a former wife, or
the circumstances under which you were married. And as for yourself,
you would regret it after the first month. How could you ever speak
to her of your love without speaking also of your shame? If a man
does marry he should at least be able to hold up his head before his
wife."

This was very severe, but Crosbie showed no anger. "I think I should
do so," he said,--"after a while."

"And then, about money? Of course you would have to tell her
everything."

"Everything--of course."

"It is like enough that she might not regard that,--except that she
would feel that if you could not afford to marry her when you were
unembarrassed, you can hardly afford to do so when you are over head
and ears in debt."

"She has money now."

"After all that has come and gone you would hardly seek Lily Dale
because you want to marry a fortune."

"You are too hard on me, Pratt. You know that my only reason for
seeking her is that I love her."

"I do not mean to be hard. But I have a very strong opinion that the
quarrels of lovers, when they are of so very serious a nature, are
a bad basis for the renewal of love. Come, let us go and dress for
dinner. I am going to dine with Mrs. Thorne, the millionaire, who
married a country doctor, and who used to be called Miss Dunstable."

"I never dine out anywhere now," said Crosbie. And then they walked
out of the Park together. Neither of them, of course, knew that Lily
Dale was staying at the house at which Fowler Pratt was going to
dine.

Lily, as she rode home, did not speak a word. She would have given
worlds to be able to talk, but she could not even make a beginning.
She heard Bernard and Siph Dunn chatting behind her, and hoped that
they would continue to do so till she was safe within the house. They
all used her well, for no one tried to draw her into conversation.
Once Emily said to her, "Shall we trot a little, Lily?" And then they
moved on quickly, and the misery was soon over. As soon as she was
upstairs in the house she got Emily by herself, and explained all the
mystery in a word or two. "I fear I have made a