t me," tossing her head coquettishly.
"I shall always like you, and I want us to keep friends. But you can't
understand all the reasons. Some girls might drag you into an
engagement, and waste all your young years; but I could not be so mean
to any friend I cared about. We have settled all this matter."

Her tone took on a rather sharp business accent. It was almost curt.

Yes, it had been settled. Yet she had demanded a lover-like devotion,
and allowed him to speculate on what might have been if she were rich or
he older. And though Jim's sturdy common-sense had kept him from going
very deep, he felt wretched and jealous that any other man should have
the supreme right; and yet he had a conviction that the friendship or
flirtation ought to end.

"He thinks you are Mrs. Nicoll's heiress."

She gave a light laugh. "Oh, that will do to talk about; and she may
leave me a little. If I was her heiress--"

The glance roused Jim's anger. He rose suddenly.

"I hope you love Williamson," he said, in a tone that he meant to sound
bitterly cutting. "A girl who sells herself for money to such a man--"

"Nonsense, Jim!" She rose also. "You'll find most of the world will
consider it a good marriage; and anyhow, I have to look out for myself.
It's too bad to break up the pleasant times we've had this winter; but
you must not be angry. You will understand it better presently. I
wouldn't let you go off in this way if I hadn't such a wretched
headache; but you will come in again."

Jim said good-evening with superb dignity. What a stylish fellow he was.
Of course he felt a little "huffy" now; but next winter, when she had a
home of her own, she would give attractive parties, and invite Jim among
the very first. By that time he would be over his boyish folly. And now,
what must she wear to the theatre to-night? She must look her prettiest.
Her wretched headache was gone.

James Underhill felt as he had sometimes in the old school days, that he
had been duped. He was angry with her, with himself. He had brought his
friends to the house; and he knew Weir was really in love with her, yet
she had laughed daintily about some of his peculiarities. What if she
had laughed with Gaynor about him? She did satirise people. It was
strange how many faults he saw in her! Yet he did hate to have her
marry Williamson.

He heard of her being at the theatre that evening with an array of
diamonds, which young girls seldom wore. In a week or so th