nt what they call love, even if to them it always sinks to
second place, if indeed it means nothing more than distraction. And
love would mean more than that to you. I have an instinct which tells
me that, in your case, love will come. You must be free to take it."

It was final. He felt its finality, and more than ever he swore that it
should not be so. There must be an argument somewhere--wait!

"Supposing," said Spence haltingly, "Supposing.... supposing I am not
free now? Supposing love has come--and gone?"

He was not a good liar. But his very ineptitude helped him here. It
tangled the words on his tongue, it brought a convincing dew upon his
forehead. "I'd rather not talk about it," he finished. "But you see
what I mean."

"Yes. I hadn't thought of that. It might make a difference. I should
want to be very sure. If there were any chance--"

"There is no chance. Positively none. That experience, which you say
you feel was a necessary experience in my case, is over and done with.
It cannot recur. I am not the man to--to--" he was really unable to go
on. But she finished it for him.

"To love twice," said Desire, looking out over the sea. "Yes I can
understand that--what did you say?"

"I think I may be able to walk now," said the professor.

CHAPTER IX

With the recovery of a leg sufficiently workable in the matter of
climbing stairs, Dr. Farr's boarder had resigned the family couch in
the sitting-room and had retired to his spartan chamber under the
eaves. From its open window that night he watched the moon. Let nothing
happen to the universe in the meantime, and there would be a full moon
on Friday night. The professor hoped that nothing would happen.

She had not exactly said "Yes" yet. He must not forget that. But it
could do no harm to feel reasonably sure that she was going to. He did
not conceal from himself that he had brought things off remarkably
well. That last argument of his had been a masterpiece of strategy.
There were other, shorter, words which might have described it. But
they were not such pleasant words. And when a thing is necessary it is
just as well to be pleasant about it. No harm had been done. Quite the
opposite. Desire's one valid objection had been neatly and effectually
disposed of. And now the matter could be dropped. It would be
forgotten.... What did it amount to in any case? Other men lied
every day saying they had never loved. He had lied only once in saying
that h