fined--and certainly a more decent--expression. I am giving
you so long a lecture because you sadly need it. I am giving away my
sisters to you, because you must be protected against them. If I had
given you a few such sermons in the past, you would not have had to
undergo the punishment of listening to this one now. Now, having well
lectured you, let us proceed to be practical. I am going to pay the
debts she has incurred and after that she ought to leave you free."

"No, Helen!" exclaimed Morgan. "You have paid enough already. I feel
utterly contemptible when I think of the use to which I have put your
money."

"Why will you persist in taking such unphilosophic views? For a poet,
you have a singular grip on the world. To me money is not such a
reality. And if it were, what is it between you and me? If the
position were reversed, Morgan--it may be a shocking admission to
make--I should not hesitate to take money from you, you conventional
Philistine. I thought you were above such petty considerations--to say
nothing of their coarseness."

"It's unkind of you to overload me with debt and employ specious
arguments to persuade me the load doesn't weigh."

"How can there be such a thing as a debt between us? I don't really
believe you're going to punish me by not behaving sensibly."

And so the battle continued, each fighting doggedly. He kept dragging
in the five hundred pounds he had already had, and she insisting that
mustn't count, even if regarded from a strict business point of view.
For she claimed that he had caused her unspeakable torture of late, at
least as great as that of a lady plaintiff in a breach of promise
case, and she was, therefore, entitled to damages. The pleasure he
would give her by his agreeing to the cancelling of the old debt would
only be fair compensation. Then, since this old debt had been wiped
out, there was no reason why she should not help now.

He ended by compromising on both points. The repayment of the five
hundred pounds was to be deferred indefinitely, the debt itself being
absolutely cancelled in the meanwhile, but it was to revive if he
should ever have the means to satisfy it. And also Helen was to be
allowed to pay the theatrical liabilities, provided Cleo agreed to her
doing so, though her identity was not to be divulged.

"And now that we have at last come to an understanding, I think we
deserve some tea after our exertions," she declared, rising to ring
for it. "Pract