occurred, they had all ended in Duncan's suing for peace.
The long continuance of so unnatural a relation was rendered possible
only by the fact that Helen Osgood had, so far, been incapable of
experiencing the feelings of other women, and seeing no reason to
transgress where there was no temptation, she contented herself with
inspiring a love where others excited a passing fancy. Other women might
amuse Duncan, but she would control him; other women might love him, but
she would study him; other women might lose him, but she would remain
his master. That was her analysis of the affair, and, so far, she felt
that it had been correct. It is true she had not seen Duncan since the
quarrel in January, and she knew that he must, in the meantime, have
been intimate with other women; but she felt confident that he would
come back to her and plead again for the love she had so often refused
him. She did not believe that Duncan's passion was of a lofty nature. On
the contrary, she doubted his sincerity just as she doubted the
sincerity of every man of the world. She knew perfectly well the view of
life held by the men about her, and she often said that were she a man
she would be a freebooter too, and capture the hearts that came in her
way. She thought that if a woman was weak enough to be trapped into
taking a false step, she got her deserts. She, for one, would go armed,
not because her conscience troubled her, but because she did not
consider the game worth the risk.

The unexpected return of Duncan had been somewhat of a surprise to
Helen; but, in order to impress upon him that it was a matter of
indifference to her, she avoided him as much as possible during the
evening of his arrival at Oakhurst. The house party spent the evening
playing pool in the billiard-room, and in that atmosphere of whiskey,
soda, and smoke, where the conversation was hilarious and general, and
often interspersed with familiar repartee and laughter, it was not
difficult for Helen to keep Duncan at a convenient distance, while,
however much he might chafe under the restraint, he was unable to free
himself from his unpleasant position. There is nothing so exasperating
to a man of Duncan's disposition and experience as to feel that he is
being made a fool of by a woman. Though nothing had been said, Duncan
realized the galling fact that Helen Osgood was playing with him. After
the women had gone to bed he sat in the smoking-room, sulking over his
"ni