to
me,' he said, 'for I had by that time become quite aware that my
happiness must depend upon you.' He tried the gentle, soft falsehoods
that should have been as sweet as violets. Perhaps they were sweet. It
is odd how stern a girl can be, while her heart is almost breaking
with love. Hetta was very stern.

'But Felix says you took her to Lowestoft,--quite the other day.'

Montague had intended to tell all,--almost all. There was a something
about the journey to Lowestoft which it would be impossible to make
Hetta understand, and he thought that that might be omitted. 'It was
on account of her health.'

'Oh;--on account of her health. And did you go to the play with her?'

'I did.'

'Was that for her health?'

'Oh, Hetta, do not speak to me like that! Cannot you understand that
when she came here, following me, I could not desert her?'

'I cannot understand why you deserted her at all,' said Hetta. 'You
say you loved her, and you promised to marry her. It seems horrid to
me to marry a divorced woman,--a woman who just says that she was
divorced. But that is because I don't understand American ways. And I
am sure you must have loved her when you took her to the theatre, and
down to Lowestoft,--for her health. That was only a week ago.'

'It was nearly three weeks,' said Paul in despair.

'Oh;--nearly three weeks! That is not such a very long time for a
gentleman to change his mind on such a matter. You were engaged to
her, not three weeks ago.'

'No, Hetta, I was not engaged to her then.'

'I suppose she thought you were when she went to Lowestoft with you.'

'She wanted then to force me to--to--to--. Oh, Hetta, it is so hard to
explain, but I am sure that you understand. I do know that you do not,
cannot think that I have, even for one moment, been false to you.'

'But why should you be false to her? Why should I step in and crush
all her hopes? I can understand that Roger should think badly of her
because she was--divorced. Of course he would. But an engagement is an
engagement. You had better go back to Mrs Hurtle and tell her that you
are quite ready to keep your promise.'

'She knows now that it is all over.'

'I dare say you will be able to persuade her to reconsider it. When
she came all the way here from San Francisco after you, and when she
asked you to take her to the theatre, and to Lowestoft--because of
her health, she must be very much attached to you. And she is waiting
here,--no doubt o