rstand what I mean? Won't you give me a chance to
explain----?"

Her low laughter maddened him.

"Oh, no--please have mercy on me! Explanations are the root of all
evil! If only people had not such a passion for explaining themselves,
there would be fifty per cent fewer misunderstandings in the world.
Don't you know the delightful story of a zealous mother reading the
Bible to her boy, and explaining profusely to bring it within the scope
of his small mind, and when she asked him, anxiously, 'Are you quite
sure you understand it all, darling?' he answered, with the heavenly
frankness of childhood, 'Yes, beautifully, mummy--except when you
explain.' That's my feeling exactly; so we'll skip the explanations,
if you don't mind."

He stifled an oath, and flung his half-smoked cigar down the khud.

"You're enough to drive a sane man distracted!" he declared hotly, and
was not a little surprised at his own vehemence.

"No, no! That's exaggeration, I assure you. The strong wine of the
morning has got into your head. Do be reasonable now, and keep
personalities at arm's length. I detest them."

He moved away for a space; then, turning on his heel, came back again.

"At least you don't object to my companionship?" he said, ignoring her
request.

"Of course not, so long as it amuses you to bestow it upon me."

"Amuses me! God in heaven, what makes you so hopelessly detached?"

"Some radical defect in me, I suppose. The Pagan strain, perhaps, that
comes out so strong in Michael. I believe I am incapable of _les
grandes passions_. But that does not prevent me from being a good
friend, and a constant one, as you will find, if you care to test me in
that capacity. Now you may sit down here," she patted her slab of rock
invitingly, "and discourse about anything you please, except myself.
Egoist though I am, I have had enough of the subject for to-day!"

And Garth--the man of surface emotions and ready tongue--found nothing
to say in answer to this kindly but inexorable dismissal of his
unspoken suit. He had no choice but to accept the inevitable, and the
proffered seat. But the permission to discourse about anything he
pleased left him dumb, and it was Quita herself who guided their talk
into a less personal channel.

"Have you had any new arrivals at the Strawberry Bank lately?" she
asked, conversationally; and the question was more relevant to the
tabooed topic than Garth was likely to guess. He lived c