ow of not being afraid to mention Rosie that he said,
"Changed in what way?"

"Well, you'll see." She decided that for his own sake it was kindness to
be cruel, and so added: "Changed to a healthier frame of mind. She's
very much ashamed of what she tried to do, and wants to begin again on
a--on a less foolish basis. So," she continued, reverting to her former
point, "my going away wouldn't now have anything to do with her. It
would be on my own account. I want to--to think."

"Think about what?"

"Well, chiefly about you."

He knew they were nearing the heart of the question, and so went up to
it boldly. "To wonder--whether or not--I--love you? Is that it?"

"N-no; not exactly." She allowed a second to pass before letting slip
the words: "Rather the other way."

"The other way--how?"

She spoke very softly. "Whether or not--I love _you_."

"Oh!" His tone was as soft as hers, but with the ejaculation he moved
his big hands about his body like a man feeling for his wound. "I
thought you did."

"Yes, I thought so, too--till--till lately. Perhaps I do, even now. I
don't know. It's what I want to get away for--to think--to see. I can't
do either when you're so near me. You--you overwhelm me--you crush me. I
don't get the free use of my mind."

He turned again to pace the narrow limits of the balcony. "If you ever
did love me, Lois," he said, in a voice she hardly recognized because of
the new thrill in it, "I've done nothing to deserve the withdrawal
of--of your affection."

She answered while still keeping her eyes absently on Spica's white
effulgence. "I know you haven't, Thor dear. But that's not the point.
It's rather that I have to go back and--and revise everything--form new
conceptions."

He paused, standing behind her. "I don't think I get your idea."

"No, probably not. You couldn't without knowing what it all used to mean
to me."

"_Used_ to mean?"

"Yes, Thor; used to mean in a way that it doesn't now, and never can any
more."

There was pain in his voice as he said, "That's hard, Lois--damnably
hard."

"I know, Thor dear. I wouldn't say it if I hadn't made up my mind that I
must--that I ought to. I've had a great shock--which has been in its way
a great humiliation--but I could go on keeping it to myself if I hadn't
come to the conclusion that it's best for you to know. Men are so slow
to fathom what their wives are thinking of--"

"Well, then, tell me."

She turned slowly round from h