pe, fear, ambition animates me; do
you? You don't care whether I am ignorant or educated, bad or good, ill
or well--as long as it does not affect my posing for you; whether I am
happy or unhappy, whether I--"

"For Heaven's sake--"

"But you don't care!... Do you?"

He was silent; he stood looking at her in a stupid sort of way.

After a moment or two she rose, picked up her hat, went to the glass and
pinned it on, then strolled slowly back, drawing on her gloves.

"It's five o'clock, you know, Drene."

"Yes, certainly."

"Do you want me to-morrow?"

"Yes. Yes, of course."

"You are not offended?"

He did not answer. She came up to him and repeated the question in a
childishly anxious voice that was a trifle too humble. And looking down
into her eyes he saw a gleam of pure mischief in them.

"You little villain!" he said; and caught her wrists. "A lot you care
whether I am offended!"

She looked away from him, turning her profile. Her expression was
inscrutable. After a silence he dropped her wrists with a vague laugh.

"You should have let me alone," he said.

"'The woman tempted me,'" she repeated, still looking away from him. He
said nothing.

"Good night," she nodded, and turned toward the door.

He went with her, falling into step beside her. One arm slipped around
her waist as they entered the hallway. They walked slowly to the door.
He unlatched it, hesitated; she moved one foot forward, and he took a
step at the same time which brought her across his path so closely that
contact was unavoidable. And he kissed her.

"Oh," she said. "So you are human after all! I often wondered."

She looked up, trying to laugh, but could not seem to take it as coolly
as she might have wished to.

"Not that a kiss is very important in these days," she continued, "yet
it might interest you to hear that a friend of yours rather fancies
me. He wouldn't like you to do it. But--" She lifted her blue eyes with
faint malice--"What is a woman between friends?"

"Who is he?"

"Jack Graylock."

Drene remained motionless.

"I haven't encouraged him," she said. "Perhaps that is why."

"Why he fancies you?"

"Why he asked me to marry him. It was the only thing he had not asked."

"He asked that?"

"After he realized it was the only way, I suppose," she said coolly.
Drene took her into his arms and kissed her deliberately on the mouth.
Looking up at him she said: "After all, he is your friend, isn't he?"

"