ng has happened to me," she said. "Robin has written to
say--to say--that he cannot marry me!"

"What is there dreadful in that?" said Mercer.

She did not look up, though his words startled her a little.

"It--has made me feel like--like a stray cat again," she said, with the
ghost of a smile about her lips. "Of course, I know I'm foolish. There
must be plenty of ways in which a woman can earn her living here. You
yourself were thinking of something that I might do, weren't you?"

"I was," said Mercer. He laid his great hand upon hers, paused a moment,
then deliberately drew her letter from beneath them and crushed it into
a ball. "But I want you to tell me something before we go into that. The
truth, mind! It must be the truth!"

"Yes?" she questioned, with her head bent.

"You must look at me," he said, "or I shan't believe you."

There was something Napoleonic about his words which placed them wholly
beyond the sphere of offensiveness. Slowly she turned her head and
looked him in the eyes.

He took his arm abruptly away from her.

"Heavens!" he said. "How miserable you look! Are you very miserable?"

"I'm not very happy," she said.

"But you always smile," he said, "even when you're crying. Ah, that's
better! I scarcely knew you before. Now, tell me! Were you in love with
the fellow?"

She shrank a little at the direct question. He put his hand on her
shoulder. His touch was imperious.

"Just a straight answer!" he said. "Were you?"

She hesitated, longing yet fearing to lower her eyes.

"I--I don't quite know," she said at length. "I used to think so."

"You haven't thought so of late?" His eyes searched hers unsparingly,
with stern insistence.

"I haven't been sure," she admitted.

He released her and rose.

"You won't regret him for long," he said. "In fact, you'll live to be
glad that you didn't have him!"

She did not contradict him. He was too positive for that. She watched
him cross the room with a certain arrogance, and close the half-open
door. As he returned she stood up.

"Can we get to business now?" she said.

"Business?" said Mercer.

With a steadiness that she found somewhat difficult of accomplishment
she made reply:

"You thought you could find me employment--some means by which I could
pay you back."

"You still want to pay me back?" he said.

She glanced up half nervously.

"I know that I can never repay your kindness to me," she said. "So far
as that goes, I am