he only woman I had ever seen who appealed to and
aroused and made strong all that is brave and honest in me. Selma, I
need you. I am not infatuated. I am clearer-headed than I ever was in
my life. I need you. You can make a man of me."

She was regarding him with a friendly and even tender sympathy. "I
understand now," she said. "I thought it was simply the ordinary
outburst of passion. But I see that it was the result of your struggle
with yourself about which road to take in making a career."

If she had not been absorbed in developing her theory she might have
seen that Davy was not altogether satisfied with this analysis of his
feelings. But he deemed it wise to hold his peace.

"You do need some one--some woman," she went on. "And I am anxious to
help you all I can. I couldn't help you by marrying you. To me
marriage means----" She checked herself abruptly. "No matter. I can
help you, I think, as a friend. But if you wish to marry, you should
take some one in your own class--some one who's in sympathy with you.
Then you and she could work it out together--could help each other.
You see, I don't need you--and there's nothing in one-sided
marriages.... No, you couldn't give me anything I need, so far as I
can see."

"I believe that's true," said Davy miserably.

She reflected, then continued: "But there's Jane Hastings. Why not
marry her? She is having the same sort of struggle with herself. You
and she could help each other. And you're, both of you, fine
characters. I like each of you for exactly the same reasons....
Yes--Jane needs you, and you need her." She looked at him with her
sweet, frank smile like a breeze straight from the sweep of a vast
plateau. "Why, it's so obvious that I wonder you and she haven't
become engaged long ago. You ARE fond of her, aren't you?"

"Oh, Selma," cried Davy, "I LOVE you. I want YOU."

She shook her head with a quaint, fascinating expression of
positiveness. "Now, my friend," said she, "drop that fancy. It isn't
sensible. And it threatens to become silly." Her smile suddenly
expanded into a laugh. "The idea of you and me married--of ME married
to YOU! I'd drive you crazy. No, I shouldn't stay long enough for
that. I'd be of on the wings of the wind to the other end of the earth
as soon as you tried to put a halter on me."

He did not join in her laugh. She rose. "You will think again before
you go in with those people--won't you, David?"