because of her good, firm mouth and chin, because
of her full neck and its high, tight bands of white satin. And he
loved her because her arms were strong and round, and because she wore
the great dog-collar around her trim, firm-corseted waist, and because
there emanated from her with every movement a barely perceptible,
delicious, feminine odor, that was in part perfume, but mostly a
subtle, vague aroma, charming beyond words, that came from her mouth,
her hair, her neck, her arms, her whole sweet personality. And he
loved her because she was herself, because she was Blix, because of
that strange, sweet influence that was disengaged from her in those
quiet moments when she seemed so close to him, when some unnamed,
mysterious sixth sense in him stirred and woke and told him of her
goodness, of her clean purity and womanliness; and that certain, vague
tenderness in him went out toward her, a tenderness not for her only,
but for all the good things of the world; and he felt his nobler side
rousing up and the awakening of the desire to be his better self.

Covertly he looked at her, as she sat near him, her yellow hair rolling
and blowing back from her forehead, her hands clasped over her knee,
looking out over the ocean, thoughtful, her eyes wide.

She had told him she did not love him. Condy remembered that perfectly
well. She was sincere in the matter; she did not love him. That
subject had been once and for all banished from their intercourse. And
it was because of that very reason that their companionship of the last
three or four months had been so charming. She looked upon him merely
as a chum. She had not changed in the least from that time until now,
whereas he--why, all his world was new for him that morning! Why, he
loved her so, she had become so dear to him, that the very thought of
her made his heart swell and leap.

But he must keep all this to himself. If he spoke to her, told her of
how he loved her, it would spoil and end their companionship upon the
instant. They had both agreed upon that; they had tried the other, and
it had worked out. As lovers they had wearied of each other; as chums
they had been perfectly congenial, thoroughly and completely happy.

Condy set his teeth. It was a hard situation. He must choose between
bringing an end to this charming comradeship of theirs, or else fight
back all show of love for her, keep it down and under hand, and that at
a time when every nerve