and
soothed her fears and taught her its smiling, shallow ways."

"Poor child!"

The reiterated word had a curious effect upon the boy; his fierceness
dropped from him; he turned again to the railing and, looking upward,
seemed to drench himself in the coolness of the starlight.

"For years she lived her shallow life. She took lightly the light gifts
the world offered; among those gifts was love--"

"Stop!" cried Blake, involuntarily. "You are tarnishing the picture!"

"I am only painting in crude colors! Much love was offered lightly to
Maxine, and she took it--lightly; then one day her friend the world
brought for her consideration a suitor more powerful, more
distinguished, even less exigent than the rest--"

"Stop! Stop!" cried Blake, again. "I can't see her as this hard woman.
She frightens me!"

"She has sometimes frightened me," said Max, enigmatically, "but that is
outside the picture. She took, as I tell you, with both hands, smiling
very wisely to herself, holding her head very high. But when the head is
held too high, the feet sometimes fall into a trap. It came
suddenly--the trapping of my sister Maxine."

"Yes! Yes! Tell me!"

"I am telling you, my friend! The date of Maxine's marriage was fixed,
and she moved through her world content. One night a great court
function was held; she was present, her _fiance_ was present, the
atmosphere was all congratulation--like honey and wine. When it was
over, the _fiance_ begged the privilege of escorting her to her home,
and they drove together through the cold Russian night. They spoke
little; Maxine's thoughts skimmed lightly over the future, her hands lay
lightly in her _fiance's_. All was unemotional--all was smooth and
undisturbed--until they reached the street where her house stood; then,
with the swiftness that belongs to mad moments, the being beside her
showed himself. Quick as a flash of lightning, the dignified,
distinguished, unexacting lover was effaced, and in his place was a
man--an animal--a passionate egoist! He caught her in his arms, and his
arms were like iron bands; his lips pressed hers, and they were like a
flame. In a flash, the fabric of her illusions was scattered. She saw
the truth. The world had cheated her, this second marriage was to be as
the first. Terror seized my sister Maxine--terror of life, terror of
herself. Her false calm broke up, as the ice breaks under the hand of
spring--wells of fear gushed in her heart. She dismi