at you
pleased."

"No," said he. "I couldn't make a suit of overalls out of a length of
silk. Anyhow, I have made up my life with love and marriage left out.
They are excellent things for some people, for most people. But not
for me. I must be free, absolutely free. Free to think only of the
cause I've enlisted in, free to do what it commands."

"And I?" she said with tremendous life. "What is to become of me,
Victor?"

He laughed quietly. "You are going to keep away from me--find some one
else to amuse your leisure. That's what's going to become of you, Jane
Hastings."

She winced and quivered again. "That--hurts," she said.

"Your vanity? Yes. I suppose it does. But those wounds are
healthful--when the person is as sensible as you are."

"You think I am not capable of caring! You think I am vain and shallow
and idle. You refuse me all right to live, simply because I happen to
live in surroundings you don't approve of."

"I'm not such an egotistical ass as to imagine a woman of your sort
could be genuinely in love with a man of my sort," replied he. "So,
I'll see to it that we keep away from each other. I don't wish to be
tempted to do you mischief."

She looked at him inquiringly.

But he did not explain. He said: "And you are going now. And we
shall not meet again except by accident."

She gave a sigh of hopelessness. "I suppose I have lowered myself in
your eyes by being so frank--by showing and speaking what I felt," she
said mournfully.

"Not in the least," rejoined he. "A man who is anybody or has anything
soon gets used to frankness in women. I could hardly have gotten past
thirty, in a more or less conspicuous position, without having had some
experience.... and without learning not to attach too much importance
to--to frankness in women."

She winced again. "You wouldn't say those things if you knew how they
hurt," she said. "If I didn't care for you, could I sit here and let
you laugh at me?"

"Yes, you could," answered he. "Hoping somehow or other to turn the
laugh upon me later on. But really I was not laughing at you. And you
can spare yourself the effort of convincing me that you're sincere."
He was frankly laughing at her now. "You don't understand the
situation--not at all. You fancy that I am hanging back because I am
overwhelmed or shy or timid. I assure you I've never been shy or timid
about anything I wanted. If I wanted you--I'd--TAKE you."

She caug