e to say or do?"

"Nothing," replied she calmly. "You asked me why I didn't love you, and
I was trying to explain. I don't want anything more than I'm getting. I
am content--aren't you?"

"Content!" He laughed sardonically. "As well ask Tantalus if he is
content, with the water always before his eyes and always out of reach.
I want you--all you have to give. I couldn't be content with less."

"You ought not to talk to me this way," she reproved gently, "when you
are engaged."

He flung her hand into her lap. "You are making a fool of me. And I
don't wonder. I've invited it. Surely, never since man was created has
there been such another ass as I." He drew her to her feet, seized her
roughly by the shoulders. "When are you coming to your senses?" he
demanded.

"What do you mean?" she inquired, in her childlike puzzled way.

He shook her, kissed her violently, held her at arm's length. "Do you
think it wise to trifle with me?" he asked. "Don't your good sense tell
you there's a limit even to such folly as mine?"

"What _is_ the matter?" she asked pathetically. "What do you want? I can't
give you what I haven't got to give."

"No," he cried. "But I want what you _have_ got to give."

She shook her head slowly. "Really, I haven't, Mr. Norman."

He eyed her with cynical amused suspicion. "Why did you call me _Mr._
Norman just then? Usually you don't call me at all. It's been weeks
since you have called me Mister. Was your doing it just then one of
those subtle, adroit, timely tricks of yours?"

She was the picture of puzzled innocence. "I don't understand," she
said.

"Well--perhaps you don't," said he doubtfully. "At any rate, don't call
me Mr. Norman. Call me Fred."

"I can't. It isn't natural. You seem Mister to me. I always think of you
as Mr. Norman."

"That's it. And it must stop!"

She smiled with innocent gayety. "Very well--Fred. . . . Fred. . . . Now
that I've said it, I don't find it strange." She looked at him with an
expression between appeal and mockery. "If you'd only let me get
acquainted with you. But you don't. You make me feel that I've got to be
careful with you--that I must be on my guard. I don't know against
what--for you are certainly the very best friend that I've ever had--the
only real friend."

He frowned and bit his lip--and felt uncomfortable, though he protested
to himself that he was simply irritated at her slyness. Yes, it must be
slyness.

"So," she went on, "there's n