ven her. Instantly he looked up, doubt and
relief sweeping his face.

"Am I to understand that you terminate our engagement?"

She nodded.

"May I ask why?"

"I couldn't bring myself to it, Waring. I honestly tried, but I
couldn't do it."

"When did you find this out?"

"I began to find it out the first day of our engagement. I couldn't
make it seem right. I've been in a process of learning it ever since.
It wouldn't be fair to you for me to marry you."

"You're a brick, Virginia!" he cried jubilantly.

"No, I'm not. That is a minor reason. The really important one is that
it wouldn't be fair to me."

"No, it would not," he admitted, with an air of candor.

"Because, you see, I happen to care for another man," she purred.

His vanity leaped up fully armed. "Another man! Who?"

"That's my secret," she answered, smiling at his chagrin.

"And his?"

"I said mine. At any rate, if three knew, it wouldn't be a secret," was
her quick retort.

"Do you think you have been quite fair to me, Virginia?" he asked, with
gloomy dignity.

"I think so," she answered, and touched him with the riposte: "I'm
ready now to have you tell me when you expect to marry Aline Harley."

His dignity collapsed like a pricked bladder. "How did you know?" he
demanded, in astonishment.

"Oh well, I have eyes."

"But I didn't know--I thought--"

"Oh, you thought! You are a pair of children at the game," this
thousand-year-old young woman scoffed. "I have known for months that
you worshiped each other."

"If you mean to imply" he began severely.

"Hit somebody of your size, Warry," she interrupted cheerfully, as to
an infant. "If you suppose I am so guileless as not to know that you
were coming here this afternoon to tell me you were regretfully
compelled to give me up on account of a more important engagement, then
you conspicuously fail to guess right. I read it in your note."

He gave up attempting to reprove her. It did not seem feasible under
the circumstances. Instead, he held out the hand of peace, and she took
it with a laugh of gay camaraderie.

"Well," he smiled, "it seems possible that we may both soon be subjects
for congratulation. That just shows how things work around right. We
never would have suited each other, you know."

"I'm quite sure we shouldn't," agreed Virginia promptly. "But I don't
think I'll trouble you to congratulate me till you see me wearing
another solitaire."

"We'll hope for the best,"