He stooped a little as he stood there, waiting
for her verdict, as if even the broadest shoulders wearied finally of
other people's loads, and the line of his zealot's jaw was sharper than
ever. She felt nothing but scorn for him. He had birth, breeding,
abilities; why must he wrap himself in monkish sackcloth, in monkish
celibacy? Rage rose in her, rage and ridicule for herself. So, this was
the man for whom she had dressed herself three times, cunningly and
provocatively? This was the man to whom she had come running with her
heart held out in her hands,--her sane, sound, hitherto unassailable
heart, twenty-eight years old,--when he required of her merely a service
such as he might ask of any of his Settlement workers,--money from this
one, work from that one, charm and cheer from her, Jane Vail.

Worry throve in his eyes. "I'm doubting I had the right to ask you. Is it
too much, indeed?"

Jane rose, lifting her shoulders ever so slightly. "The right? Why,
surely. You're asking me for an hour or so of my time just as you would
ask me for a check. I am to lift up the light of my countenance on this
young gentleman, then, and convince him that he is still socially
desirable?"

"I'll be praising you all the long days of my life if you will," he said
humbly, continuing to stand.

"Sit down, then, while I put on my hat," she said carelessly, quite as
she would have spoken to a messenger, and moved toward her bedroom door.

"Please"--he took one step after her--"it's riot but your little brown
gown would charm the birds off the bush,--and it's not that I'd be
mentioning it or asking it for myself, but----"

"No," said Jane, and her voice was as bright and dry as her eyes, "one
could hardly fancy you asking anything for yourself."

"I would not, indeed," he said, grateful for the exoneration, "but I'm
wondering ... wouldn't you seem grander to the lad in a--a gayer frock,
perhaps?"

"Very possibly I would," said Jane, reasonably. "But I shall have to keep
you waiting a little longer then." She went into the other room and shut
the door slowly and softly to demonstrate the perfect control of her
nerves, and proceeded to make her fourth toilet for the hour. She took
her time and did her best, which was very good indeed when she put her
mind to it, and she hummed a snatch of song all the while, just loud
enough to carry to the study, but every time she met her shamed and
furious eyes in the glass her face crisped into