ed."

"Oh yes, it could. Now that's just where you're mistaken. That's where
a woman never can understand a man. I might carry on with half a dozen
girls, and yet never forget you, or think less of you, although I could
see all the time how pretty and bright every one of 'em was. That's the
way a man's mind is built. It's curious, but it's true."

"I don't believe I care for any share in your mind, then," said the
girl.

"Oh, come, now! You don't mean that. You know I was just joking; you
know I don't justify what I've done, and I don't excuse it. But I think
I've acted pretty square with you about it--about telling you, I mean.
I don't want to lay any claim, but you remember when you made me promise
that if there was anything shady I wanted to hide from you--Well, I
acted on that. You do remember?"

"Yes," said Cynthia, and she pulled the cloud over the side of her face
next to him, and walked a little faster.

He hastened his steps to keep up with her. "Cynthy, if you put your arms
round me, as you did then--"

"I can't Jeff!"

"You don't want to."

"Yes, I do! But you don't want me to, as you did then. Do you?" She
stopped abruptly and faced him full. "Tell me, honestly!"

Jeff dropped his bold eyes, and the smile left his handsome mouth.

"You don't," said the girl, "for you know that if you did, I would do
it." She began to walk on again. "It wouldn't be hard for me to forgive
you anything you've done against me--or against yourself; I should care
for you the same--if you were the same person; but you're not the same,
and you know it. I told you then--that time that I didn't want to make
you do what you knew was right, and I never shall try to do it again.
I'm sorry I did it then. I was wrong. And I should be afraid of you if I
did now. Some time you would make me suffer for it, just as you've made
me suffer for making you do then what was right."

It struck Jeff as a very curious fact that Cynthia must always have
known him better than he knew himself in some ways, for he now perceived
the truth and accuracy of her words. He gave her mind credit for the
penetration due her heart; he did not understand that it is through
their love women divine the souls of men. What other witnesses of his
character had slowly and carefully reasoned out from their experience of
him she had known from the beginning, because he was dear to her.

He was silent, and then, with rare gravity, he said, "Cynthia, I believe
y