wn old and gray and haggard:

"I don't know what to do," he said, as though speaking to himself;--"I
don't know where to turn. She would marry me if you'd let her; she will
never marry me if my family is unkind to her--"

"What _will_ she do, then?" asked Lily, coolly.

For a moment he let her words pass, then, turned around. The expression
of his sister's brightly curious eyes perplexed him.

"What do you mean?" he asked, disturbed.

"What I say, Louis. I asked you what Miss West means to do if she does
not marry you? Discontinue her indiscreet intimacy with you?"

"Why should she?"

Lily said, sharply: "I would not have to put that question to a modest
girl."

"I have to put it to _you_!" he retorted, beginning to lose his
self-command. "Why should Valerie West discontinue her friendship with
me because my family's stupid attitude toward her makes it impossible
for a generous and proud girl to marry me?"

Lily, pale, infuriated, leaned forward in her chair.

"Because," she retorted violently, "if that intimacy continues much
longer a stupid world and your stupid family will believe that the girl
is your mistress! But in that event, thank God, the infamy will rest
where it belongs--not on us!"

A cold rage paralysed his speech; she saw its ghastly reflection on his
white and haggard face--saw him quiver under the shock; rose
involuntarily, terrified at the lengths to which passion had scourged
her:

"Louis," she faltered--"I--I didn't mean that!--I was beside myself;
forgive me, please! Don't look like that; you are frightening me--"

She caught his arm as he passed her, clung to it, pallid, fearful,
imploring,--"W-what are you going to do, Louis! Don't go, dear, please.
I'm sorry, I'm very, very humble. Won't you speak to me? I said too
much; I was wrong;--I--I will try to be different--try to reconcile
myself to--to what--you--wish--"

He looked down at her where she hung to him, tearful face lifted to his:

"I didn't know women could feel that way about another woman," he said,
in a dull voice. "There's no use--no use--"

"But--but I love you dearly, Louis! I couldn't endure it to have
anything come between us--disrupt the family--"

"Nothing will, Lily.... I must go now."

"Don't you believe I love you?"

He drew a deep, unconscious breath.

"I suppose so. Different people express love differently. There's no use
in asking you to be different--"

She said, piteously: "I'm trying. Don't yo