themselves. Finally, in
the softness and the idle warmth, even an allusion to Monty, whose name
usually meant an embarrassing change of subject, began to seem
possible. It was inevitable that Peggy should bring it in; for with her
a question of tact was never allowed to dominate when things of moment
were at stake. She cowered before the plunge, but she took it unafraid.

"The doctor says Monty may go out driving to-morrow," she began. "Isn't
that fine?"

Barbara's only response was to touch her pony a little too sharply with
the whip. Peggy went on as if unconscious of the challenge.

"He has been bored to death, poor fellow, in the house all this time,
and--"

"Miss Gray, please do not mention Mr. Brewster's name to me again,"
interrupted Barbara, with a contraction of the eyebrows. But Peggy was
seized with a spirit of defiance and plunged recklessly on.

"What is the use, Miss Drew, of taking an attitude like that? I know
the situation pretty well, and I can't believe that either Monty or you
has lost in a week a feeling that was so deep-seated. I know Monty much
too well to think that he would change so easily." Peggy still lived
largely in her ideals. "And you are too fine a thing not to have
suffered under this misunderstanding. It seems as if a very small word
would set you both straight."

Barbara drew herself up and kept her eyes on the road which lay white
and gleaming in the sun. "I have not the least desire to be set
straight." And she was never more serious.

"But it was only a few weeks ago that you were engaged."

"I am sorry," answered Barbara, "that it should have been talked about
so much. Mr. Brewster did ask me to marry him, but I never accepted. In
fact, it was only his persistence that made me consider the matter at
all. I did think about it. I confess that I rather liked him. But it
was not long before I found him out."

"What do you mean?" And there was a flash in Peggy's eyes. "What has he
done?"

"To my certain knowledge he has spent more than four hundred thousand
dollars since last September. That is something, is it not?" Miss Drew
said, in her slow, cool voice, and even Peggy's loyalty admitted some
justification in the criticism.

"Generosity has ceased to be a virtue, then?" she asked coldly.

"Generosity!" exclaimed Barbara, sharply. "It's sheer idiocy. Haven't
you heard the things people are saying? They are calling him a fool,
and in the clubs they are betting that he