now I couldn't go back to Will, and, Elfie--I don't think I'd care
to--stay here any more."

"What!" exclaimed Elfie.

Impulsively, she took Laura in her arms.

"Dearie," she said earnestly, "get that nonsense out of your head and
be sensible. I'd just like to see any two men who could make me think
about--well--what you seem to have in your mind."

"But I don't know what to do," went on Laura. "Can't you see, Elfie, I
don't know what to do. If I don't tell him, Will will come back and
he'll tell him. I know John, and maybe----" Fearfully she added: "Do
you know, I think John would kill him!"

"Nonsense!" laughed the girl. "Don't waste your time worrying about
that. Now, let's get down to cases. We haven't much time. Business is
business, and love is love. You're long on love, and I'm long on
business, and, between the two of us, we ought to straighten this thing
out. Now, evidently John is coming on here to marry you."

"Yes."

"And you love him?"

"Yes."

"And, as far as you know, the moment that he comes in here, it's quick
to the justice and a wedding?"

"Yes; but you see how impossible it is----"

"I don't see that anything is impossible. From all you've said to me
about this fellow, there is only one thing to do."

"What is that?"

"To get married--quick. You say he has the money, and you have the
love. You're sick of Brockton, and you want to switch and do it in the
decent, respectable, conventional way, and he's going to take you away.
Haven't you got sense enough to know that once you're married to Mr.
Madison that Will Brockton wouldn't dare go to him? Even if he did,
Madison wouldn't believe him. A man will believe a whole lot about his
girl, but nothing about his wife."

Laura turned and looked at her. There was a long pause.

"Elfie--I--I--don't think I could do that to John. I don't think--I
could deceive him."

Her companion made a gesture of impatience. Rising, she cried:

"You make me sick! You're only a novice! Lie to all men--they all lie
to you. Protect yourself. You seem to think that your happiness depends
on this. Now do it. Listen: Don't you realize that you and me, and all
the girls that are shoved into this life, are practically the common
prey of any man who happens to come along? Don't you know that they've
got about as much consideration for us as they have for any pet animal
around the house, and the only way that we've got it on the animal is
that we've got brains?