st occurred to me that for the
sake of good feeling all around, you might like to strike a balance. You
might be willing to take, say six months, or a year and think about it.
Mr. Witla would probably not object. You won't be any the less
delightful to him at the end of that time, and as for your mother, she
would feel a great deal better if she thought that, after all, what you
decided to do you had done after mature deliberation."

"Yes," exclaimed Mrs. Dale, impulsively, "do take time to think,
Suzanne. A year won't hurt you."

"No," said Suzanne unguardedly. "It is all a matter of whether I want to
or not. I don't want to."

"Precisely. Still this is something you might take into consideration.
The situation from all outside points of view is serious. I haven't said
so, but I feel that you would be making a great mistake. Still, that is
only my opinion. You are entitled to yours. I know how you feel about
it, but the public is not likely to feel quite the same. The public is a
wearisome thing, Suzanne, but we have to take it into consideration."

Suzanne stared stubbornly and wearily at her tormentors. Their logic did
not appeal to her at all. She was thinking of Eugene and her plan. It
could be worked. What did she care about the world? During all this
talk, she drew nearer and nearer the door and finally opened it.

"Well, that is all," said Dr. Woolley, when he saw she was determined to
go. "Good morning, Suzanne. I am glad to have seen you again."

"Good morning, Dr. Woolley," she replied.

She went out and Mrs. Dale wrung her hands. "I wish I knew what was to
be done," she exclaimed, gazing at her counselor.

Dr. Woolley brooded over the folly of undesired human counsel.

"There is no need for excitement," he observed after a time. "It is
obvious to me that if she is handled rightly, she will wait. She is in a
state of high strung opposition and emotion for some reason at present.
You have driven her too hard. Relax. Let her think this thing out for
herself. Counsel for delay, but don't irritate. You cannot control her
by driving. She has too stern a will. Tears won't help. Emotion seems a
little silly to her. Ask her to think, or better yet, let her think and
plead only for delay. If you could get her away for two or three weeks
or months, off by herself undisturbed by your pleadings and uninfluenced
by his--if she would ask him of her own accord to let her alone for that
time, all will be well. I don