t any woman who doesn't is
just confusing issues, and taking refuge in sophistry. I wouldn't give
_that_"--she snapped an energetic forefinger, "for all your silly,
smug little ideas of economic independence and service to the race,
and all that tommy-rot. There is only one service a woman can do to
her race, and that is to take hold of the problems of love and
marriage,--and the problems of life, birth and death that are involved
in them--and work them out to the best of her ability. They _will_
work out."

"You--you're a sort of a pragmatist, aren't you?" Caroline gasped.

"Billy loves you, and you love Billy. Billy needs you. He is the most
miserable object lately, that ever walked the face of the earth. I'm
going to call a taxi-cab, and send you both home in it, and when you
get inside of it I want you to put you arms around Billy's neck, and
make up your quarrel."

"I won't do that," said Caroline, "but--but somehow or other you've
cleared up something for me. Something that was worrying me a good
deal."

"Shall I call the taxi?" Nancy said inexorably.

"Well, yes--if--if you want to," Caroline said.

The fire was crackling merrily in the drawing-room when she stepped
into it again after speeding her departing guests. Collier Pratt was
walking up and down impatiently with his hands clasped behind his
back.

"You got rid of them at last," he said. "I was afraid they would
decide to remain with us indefinitely."

"I didn't have as much trouble as I anticipated," admitted Nancy
cryptically.

Collier Pratt made a round of the rose-shaded lamps in the room--there
were three including a Japanese candle lamp,--and turned them all
deliberately low. Then he held out his arms to Nancy.

"We'll snatch at the few moments of joy the gods will vouchsafe us,"
he said.

CHAPTER XVI

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

Sheila and Nancy were doing their Christmas shopping. The weather,
which had been like mid-May--even to betraying a bewildered Jersey
apple tree into unseasonable bloom that gave it considerable newspaper
notoriety,--had suddenly turned sharp and frosty. Sheila, all in gray
fur to the beginning of her gray gaiters, and Nancy in blue, a smart
blue tailor suit with black furs and a big black satin hat--she was
dressing better than she had ever dressed in her life--were in that
state of physical exhilaration that follows the spur of the frost.

"We mustn't dance down the avenue, Sheila," Nancy said, "it isn'