to take her out of
herself. Well, he had taken her out of herself, and after having heard
that morning what Althea's significance could be in the life of another
man, she was curious to find what her so different significance could be
in the life of this one, as alien from Gerald in type and temperament
as it was possible to imagine. Why did Althea mean anything at all to
Gerald, and why did she mean everything to Mr. Kane? And through what
intuition of the truth had Mr. Kane come to his present hopelessness?

'Do you think women always fall in love with the adequate man, and _vice
versa_?' she asked, and her eyes were gentle as they mused on him. 'Why
should you say that it's because you're not adequate that Althea isn't
in love with you?'

Franklin fixed his eye upon her and it had now a new light, it deepened
for other problems than Helen's and his own. 'Not adequate for her--not
what she wants--that's my point,' he said. 'But there are other sorts of
mistakes to make, of course. If Althea falls in love with a man equipped
as I'm not equipped, that does prove that I lack something that would
have won her; but it doesn't prove that she's found the right man. We've
got beyond natural selection when it comes to life as a whole. He may be
the man for her to fall in love with, but is he the man to make her
happy? That's just the question for me, Miss Buchanan, and I wish you'd
help me with it.'

'Help you?' Helen rather faltered.

'Yes, please try. You must see--I see it plainly enough--that Mr. Digby
is going to marry Althea.' He actually didn't add, 'If she'll have him.'
Helen wondered how far his perspicacity went; had he seen what Gerald
had seen, and what she had not seen at all?

'You think it's Gerald who is in love with her?' she asked.

Again Franklin's eye was on her, and she now saw in it his deep
perplexity. She couldn't bear to add to it. 'I've guessed nothing,' she
said. 'You must enlighten me.'

'I wasn't sure at first,' said Franklin, groping his way. 'He seemed so
devoted to Lady Pickering; but for some days it's been obvious, hasn't
it, that that wasn't in the least serious?'

'Not in the least.'

'I couldn't have reconciled myself,' said Franklin, 'to the idea of a
man, who could take Lady Pickering seriously, marrying Althea. I can't
quite reconcile myself to the idea of a man who could, well, be so
devoted to Lady Pickering, marrying Althea. He's your friend, I know,
Miss Buchanan, as well