now that you were a religious woman!"

"But I am," Grizel said nodding. "Very! In my own way. The worst of
it is, it isn't other people's way, and they are always getting shocked
at me, which is hard lines, for I'm never shocked at them. I've needed
lots of help all those years, and I've always found it, and I wish I
could hand over my secrets to you ready made, but it would be no use.
We've got to worry them out for ourselves, and it takes time before the
comfort begins to soak in..."

"I don't want to learn lessons. I want to be happy," Cassandra repeated
piteously. All the long lean years of her marriage added force to the
yearning to take advantage of the long-deferred joy now that it was
within her reach. "And I want him to be happy too, but not--with her!
Grizel, did you know that she wishes to keep him to his engagement?"

"Yes. I know. She told me."

"_Told_ you!" Cassandra's voice took the old haughty ring. "Then she
discussed me with you also, and her altruistic efforts on my behalf!
Dane is to remain engaged to her as a safeguard against myself. That's
the idea, isn't it?--Life is a curious business. I never imagined that
the time would come when Teresa Mallison would dictate to me!"

Grizel smiled mischievously.

"And doesn't it rouse the devil in you when she does! Never mind! I'm
pleased to see it. It's a healthy sign under the circumstances. You'll
need a good supply of that pride to see you through the next month, and
I guess there's no fear of its running out." Then her face sobered, and
her voice took a serious tone. "Cassandra! you must try to be fair to
Teresa. She's young and crude, and opinionated, but this has been a
great big test, and she's been rather--_fine_. I never admired anything
more than her composure that day on the cliff. It wasn't because she
didn't feel. The slight must have been all the worse, just because she
is so complacent and sure of herself. She went through torture with her
lips shut. She's even more to be pitied than you, Cassandra, for she
_was_ happy, and she believed so firmly that she was going to be happy
ever after, and now--at the best--it can never be the same--"

Cassandra interposed with a sharp-cut question.

"What do you mean by `the best'?"

"From her point of view,--that he should eventually marry her, and make
the best of what remains. It's pretty hard on a girl of twenty-four to
know that her lover has to nerve himself up to