thinks you are looking pale. I don't see that you are;
no more so than usual. You never were rosy exactly. Do you know I have
an idea that she thinks I am working you to death."

"Pauline? What reason has she to think anything of the kind? Besides, I
am perfectly well. It is a delight to work for a woman like you,
dearest." He took her face between his hands and kissed her tenderly;
yet gravely, too, as though the riddle of life did not solve itself at
the touch of her lips. "You will be interested to hear," he added, "that
I shall finish and send off the Wetmore College plans this week."

"I am glad they are off your hands, for you will have more time for
other work."

"Yes. I think I may have done something worth while," he said,
wistfully.

"And I shall try not to be annoyed if someone else gets the award," she
responded, smoothing down the sheen of her evening dress and regarding
herself in the mirror.

"Of course someone else may have taken equal pains and done a better
thing. It is necessary always to be prepared for that."

"That is the trouble. That is why I disapprove of competitions."

"Selma, you are talking nonsense," Littleton exclaimed with sudden
sternness.

The decision in his tone made her start. The color mounted to her face,
and she surveyed him for an instant haughtily, as though he had done her
an injury. Then with an oratorical air and her archangel look, she said,
"You do not seem to understand, Wilbur, that I am trying to save you
from yourself."

Littleton was ever susceptible to that look of hers. It suggested
incarnate conscientiousness, and seemed incompatible with human
imperfection or unworthy ambitions. He was too wroth to relent
altogether, but he compressed his lips and returned her look
searchingly, as though he would scrutinize her soul.

"I'm bound to believe, I do believe, that you are trying to help me,
Selma. I need your advice and help, even against myself, I dare say. But
there are some matters of which you cannot judge so well as I. You must
trust my opinion where the development of my professional life is
concerned. I shall not forget your caution to be practical, but for the
sake of expediency I cannot be false to what I believe true. Come, dear,
let us go to bed."

He put his hand on her arm to lead her upstairs, but she turned from it
to collect her fan and gloves. Looking, not at him, but at herself in
the mirror, she answered, "Of course. I trust, though, th