z."

Feeling at liberty to reject these vaporings as those of an eccentric
old man who could know little or nothing on the subject, Lois reverted
to the aspect of the question which had been in her mind when she
started the theme. "You still haven't answered what I asked--as to why
men fall in love with inferior women, and often with a kind of
infatuation they hardly ever feel for the good ones."

He took longer than usual to reflect. "Part of man's dual nature. Paul
knew a good deal about that. Puts the new man in contrast to the old
man--the inner man in contrast to the outer man--the spiritual man in
contrast to the carnal. The old, outer, carnal man falls in love with
one kind of person, and the new, inner, spiritual man with another.
Depends on which element is the stronger. The higher falls in love with
the higher type; the lower with the lower."

"But suppose neither is stronger than the other?--that they're equally
balanced--and--?"

"And in conflict. One of the commonest sights in life. Known fellows in
love with two women at the same time--with a good wife at home, mother
of the children, and all that--and another kind of woman somewhere else.
True, in a way, to 'em both. Struggle of the two natures."

Lois was distressed. "Oh, but that kind of thing can't be love."

"Can't be? 'Tis. Ask any one who's ever felt it--who's been dragged by
it both ways at once. He'll tell you whether it's love or not--and each
kind the real thing--while it lasts."

It was the expression "while it lasts" that Lois most resented. It
reduced love to a phase--to a passing experience that might be repeated
on an indefinite number of occasions. It was more than a depreciation;
it had the nature of a sacrilege. And yet no later than the following
day she received a shock that showed her there was something to be said
in its favor.

* * * * *

She had gone nominally to see Rosie, but really to verify for herself
Jim Breen's report of the collapse of Jasper Fay's little industry. She
found it hard to believe that after Claude's conduct toward Rosie her
father-in-law could have the heart to bring further woe upon a family
that had already had enough. Nothing but seeing for herself could coerce
her incredulity.

She had seen for herself. Over the little place which had always been
neat even when it was forlorn there was now the stamp of desolation. The
beds which had been seeded or planted a month