must be on my way." And he
went, not without some confusion.

Sara watched him through the window as he walked to his car.

"Poor, dear boy," she said. She turned to Anne with a bright smile.
"What is it, dear?"

"Prince Koltsoff is with us, as you know. I think mother would be
pleased if I married him. I don't know that I am not inclined to
gratify her. I have n't talked to father yet."

"Then he has not told you about the Russian railroad thingamajigs he is
gunning for?" asked Mrs. Van Valkenberg.

"Really!" Anne's eyes were very wide.

"Oh, I don't know anything about it," said Sara hastily. "Only--the
men were speaking of it at the Van Antwerps', the other night. And how
about Koltsoff?"

"His intentions are distressingly clear," said Anne.

Mrs. Van Valkenberg whistled.

"Congratulations," she said with an upward inflection. "You 've no
idea--"

"Oh, sh's'sh!" exclaimed Anne. "Don't try to be enthusiastic if you
find it so difficult. Anyway, there will be nothing to justify
enthusiasm if I can help it."

"Really!" Sara regarded the girl narrowly. "If you can help it! What
do you mean?"

"I don't know exactly what I do mean," Anne laughed nervously. "He is
so thrillingly dominant. He had not been in the house much more than
thirty hours before he had lectured me on the narrowness of my life,
indicated a more alluring future, kissed my hand, and reposed in me a
trust upon which he said his future depended. And through all I have
been as a school girl. He 's fascinating, Sara." She leaned forward
and placed her hand upon her friend's knee. "Sara--now don't laugh, I
'm serious--"

"I'm not going to laugh, dear; go on."

"Sara, you know the world. . . . I thought I did, don't you know. But
I 'm a child, a perfect simpleton. I said Prince Koltsoff was
fascinating; I meant he fascinates me. He does really. Some time when
he gets under full headway he is going to take me in his arms--that's
the feeling; also that I shall let him, although the idea now fills me
with dread."

"Why, Anne!"

"I know," continued the girl, "isn't it too absurd for words! But I am
baring my soul. Do you marry a man because his eyes seem to draw you
into them?--whose hand pressure seems to melt your will? Is that love?"

Sara regarded the girl for a few minutes without speaking. Then she
lifted her brows.

"_Is_ it love?" she said. "Ask yourself."

Anne shrugged her shoulders and grimaced h