be sincere,
and not pretend to like people and things that I don't like; and I'm
going to do the things that I like to do--just so long as they are the
things a good girl can do. See, Condy?"

"You're fine," murmured Condy breathless. "You're fine as gold,
Travis, and I--I love you all the better for it."

"Ah, NOW!" exclaimed Travis, with a brusque movement, "there's mother
thing we must talk about. No more foolishness between us. We've had a
jolly little flirtation, I know, and it's been good fun while it
lasted. I know you like me, and you know that I like you; but as for
loving each other, you know we don't. Yes, you say that you love me
and that I'm the only girl. That's part of the game. I can play
it"--her little eyes began to dance--"quite as well as you. But it's
playing with something that's quite too serious to be played
with--after all, isn't it, now? It's insincere, and, as I tell you,
from now on I'm going to be as true and as sincere and as honest as I
can."

"But I tell you that I DO love you," protested Condy, trying to make
the words ring true.

Travis looked about the room an instant as if in deliberation; then
abruptly: "Ah! what am I going to DO with such a boy as you are, after
all--a great big, overgrown boy? Condy Rivers, look at me straight in
the eye. Tell me, do you honestly love me? You know what I mean when I
say 'love.' Do you love me?"

"No, I don't!" he exclaimed blankly, as though he had just discovered
the fact.

"There!" declared Travis--"and I don't love you." They both began to
laugh.

"Now," added Travis, "we don't need to have the burden and trouble of
keeping up the pretences any more. We understand each other, don't we?"

"This is queer enough," said Condy drolly.

"But isn't it an improvement?"

Condy scoured his head.

"Tell me the truth," she insisted; "YOU be sincere."

"I do believe it is. Why--why--Travis by Jingo! Travis, I think I'm
going to like you better than ever now."

"Never mind. Is it an agreement?"

"What is?"

"That we don't pretend to love each other any more?"

"All right--yes--you're right; because the moment I began to love you I
should like you so much less."

She put out her hand. "That's an agreement, then."

Condy took her hand in his. "Yes, it's an agreement." But when, as had
been his custom, he made as though to kiss her hand, Travis drew it
quickly away.

"No! no!" she said firmly, smiling for all that--"no m