. There were other
girls, girls like Edith Boyd, who were touched, some more, some less,
with the soil of life. Even when they kept clean they saw it all
about them, and looked on it with shrewd, sophisticated eyes. But Lily
was--Lily. The very thought of Louis Akers looking at her as he had seen
him look at Edith Boyd made him cold with rage.

"Do you mind if I say something?"

"That sounds disagreeable. Is it?"

"Maybe, but I'm going to anyhow, Lily. I don't like to think of you
seeing Akers. I don't know anything against him, and I suppose if I did
I wouldn't tell you. But he is not your sort."

An impulse of honesty prevailed with her.

"I know that as well as you do. I know him better than you do. But, he
stands for something, at least," she added rather hotly. "None of the
other men I know stand for anything very much. Even you, Willy."

"I stand for the preservation of my country," he said gravely. "I mean,
I represent a lot of people who--well, who don't believe that change
always means progress, and who do intend that the changes Doyle and
Akers and that lot want they won't get. I don't believe--if you say you
want what they want--that you know what you are talking about."

"Perhaps I am more intelligent than you think I am."

He was, of course, utterly wretched, impressed by the futility of
arguing with her.

"Do your people know that you are seeing Louis Akers!"

"You are being rather solicitous, aren't you?"

"I am being rather anxious. I wouldn't dare, of course, if we hadn't
been such friends. But Akers is wrong, wrong every way, and I have to
tell you that, even if it means that you will never see me again. He
takes a credulous girl--"

"Thank you!"

"And talks bunk to her and possibly makes love to her--"

"Haven't we had enough of Mr. Akers?" Lily asked coldly. "If you cannot
speak of anything else, please don't talk."

The result of which was a frozen silence until they reached the house.

"Good-by," she said primly. "It was very nice of you to call me up.
Good-by, Jinx." She went up the steps, leaving him bare-headed and
rather haggard, looking after her.

He took the dog and went out into the country on foot, tramping through
the mud without noticing it, and now and then making little despairing
gestures. He was helpless. He had cut himself off from her like a fool.
Akers. Akers and Edith Boyd. Other women. Akers and other women. And now
Lily. Good God, Lily!

Jinx was tired. H