ral
parts, Wilmot."

"And always one," he answered softly.

"Not now," she said, "please. First you are to play priest, and listen
to confession. Then you are to confess, or I am to do it for you, and
receive penance."

"While I'm priest," he said, "do I impose any penance on you?"

"I'll listen to suggestions," said she, "that point toward absolution."

"I am now clothed In my priestly outfit," said Wilmot; "you have
entered the confessional. I listen."

Very simply, without preamble, she plunged into her affair with Harry
West. And Wilmot listened, his head bent forward over the
steering-wheel. It was not pleasant for him to learn that she had
thought herself seriously in love with another man, and was not now in
the least sure of her feelings toward him.

"I cried almost all night," she said; "it didn't seem as if I could bear
it."

"How about the next night, Barbs?"

"Oh, I slept," she said, "or thought about work."

"And he told you that you mustn't see each other anymore?"

"Yes."

"I think he was right, Barbs. I don't believe you really love him, dear.
If you did you would have cried for many nights and days--felt like it,
I mean, all the time. Men attract you--they drop out for some reason or
other--and so on. I know pretty well."

"That's just what he said," said Barbara, "and it's true, Wilmot. I'm
almost sure now that I don't really love him. And that's ugly enough.
But it's worse to think that he really loves me, and that it's
my fault."

Wilmot Allen did not make the mistake of saying that it was not her
fault. "It just shows, Barbs dear," he said, "that it's time to pull up.
You've got more darned temperament than anybody I ever saw. It's a
great weapon, but you've got to learn to control it, and not swing it
wild and hurt people."

"That's what he said."

"Well, he seems to be a sensible fellow, and a fine fellow, and to have
thought of you rather than himself. You told him you'd marry him if he
asked you? Now, Barbs, listen to me. That was a fool thing to say."

"I know it"

"Do you realize how lucky you are to have said it to West instead of to
some other fellow who happened to be on the make? You've come through
your young life almost entirely by good luck, not by good management.
You've run up against honorable men, instead of rotters. That's
the answer."

"I should think, feeling this way, you'd hate and despise me."

His hand left the steering-wheel and gave hers a swift