lities have been too well enumerated by himself."

"I will try to be more deserving of her kindness, Bob: I told you she
was the right sort. But you said just now they did not know."

"Only by surmise, and inference from your hasty departure, and
from--subsequent developments. Women are not wholly fools, Jim: they are
just as good as we; perhaps better, and sometimes wiser. O, they are
very well in their way. Let us bear with them, James, and allow for
their redeeming traits."

"Don't hit a man with his own words when he is down, Bob. But--there is
Another, whom you've not mentioned."

"So there is: you didn't mention her, either. Come to think of it, there
is another member of my household, whom we have overlooked in this
discussion, yet to whom I owe some sort of consideration."

"Of course I know who is first with you: I am content to come in a bad
second. You haven't--I suppose--any word--from Her?"

"What do you take her for? Ladies can't do that sort of thing. See here,
Hartman, don't get on that line again. She is used to due respect."

His face fell. "I know: I mean nothing else. What have you to say to me
then?"

"Say? Haven't I said enough? Confound you, it's your turn to say things
now."

"I thought I had said a good deal. O, I am ready to make my submission,
if it will do any good. Imagine the rest, can't you? Don't be playing
your games on me now, Bob."

There was a tone of pathos in this: I took a good look at him, and saw
that he was doing the contrite as well as I could expect. He will do it
better without a middleman when he gets the chance; he'll hardly lapse
into the other style again soon. All I have to do is to secure her
position meanwhile.

"Well, what comes next? I believe I am on the witness-stand now."

"Tell me about Her, Bob."

"She is changed. Of old, one never knew what to expect of her. Now she
is different. No stale customs about her, my boy."

"'Nor custom stale her infinite variety,' I suppose you mean. Yes, so I
found--but that was my own fault. Some might prefer your version. But
you don't imply--"

"No, I don't. You must find out for yourself about that. I thought you
knew that she is chary of her confidences, and that none of us is given
to seeking them. She has mentioned your name once in all this time, and
then to say that you and I were great clumsy things--which is true;
measurably of me, of you most eminently."

"What chance is there for me then?" He was dis