surely attractive.
He had no desire to part with her or to quarrel with him--merely to
temporarily cease all intimate relations with her and allow her mood to
clear itself up. Perhaps she would want to leave him of her own
accord. Perhaps, if he ever found the right woman, this might prove
good grounds for his leaving her. The right woman--where was she? He
had never found her yet.

"Aileen," he said, quite softly, "I wish you wouldn't feel so bitterly
about this. Why should you? When did you do this? Will you tell me
that?"

"No, I'll not tell you that," she replied, bitterly. "It's none of
your affair, and I'll not tell you. Why should you ask? You don't
care."

"But I do care, I tell you," he returned, irritably, almost roughly.
"When did you? You can tell me that, at least." His eyes had a hard,
cold look for the moment, dying away, though, into kindly inquiry.

"Oh, not long ago. About a week," Aileen answered, as though she were
compelled.

"How long have you known him?" he asked, curiously.

"Oh, four or five months, now. I met him last winter."

"And did you do this deliberately--because you were in love with him,
or because you wanted to hurt me?"

He could not believe from past scenes between them that she had ceased
to love him.

Aileen stirred irritably. "I like that," she flared. "I did it
because I wanted to, and not because of any love for you--I can tell
you that. I like your nerve sitting here presuming to question me
after the way you have neglected me." She pushed back her plate, and
made as if to get up.

"Wait a minute, Aileen," he said, simply, putting down his knife and
fork and looking across the handsome table where Sevres, silver, fruit,
and dainty dishes were spread, and where under silk-shaded lights they
sat opposite each other. "I wish you wouldn't talk that way to me.
You know that I am not a petty, fourth-rate fool. You know that,
whatever you do, I am not going to quarrel with you. I know what the
trouble is with you. I know why you are acting this way, and how you
will feel afterward if you go on. It isn't anything I will do--" He
paused, caught by a wave of feeling.

"Oh, isn't it?" she blazed, trying to overcome the emotion that was
rising in herself. The calmness of him stirred up memories of the
past. "Well, you keep your sympathy for yourself. I don't need it. I
will get along. I wish you wouldn't talk to me."

She shoved her plate away with such