d, and
I was with you a lot last summer. I knew you too well to believe you'd
make a move while you had your baby to think of. When he was gone--well,
I looked for anything to happen."

"Still, nothing much has happened," Stella remarked with a touch of
bitterness, "except the inevitable break between a man and a woman when
there's no longer any common bond between them. It's better so. Jack has
a multiplicity of interests. He can devote himself to them without the
constant irritation of an unresponsive wife. We've each taken our own
road. That's all that has happened."

"So far," Linda murmured. "It's a pity. I liked that big, silent man of
yours. I like you both. It seems a shame things have to turn out this
way just because--oh, well. Charlie and I used to plan things for the
four of us, little family combinations when we settled down on the lake.
Honestly, Stella, do you think it's worth while? I never could see you
as a sentimental little chump, letting a momentary aberration throw your
whole life out of gear."

"How do you know that I have?" Stella asked gravely.

Linda shrugged her shoulders expressively.

"I suppose it looks silly, if not worse, to you," Stella said. "But I
can't help what you think. My reason has dictated every step I've taken
since last fall. If I'd really given myself up to sentimentalism, the
Lord only knows what might have happened."

"Exactly," Linda responded drily. "Now, there's no use beating around
the bush. We get so in that habit as a matter of politeness,--our sort
of people,--that we seldom say in plain English just what we really
mean. Surely, you and I know each other well enough to be frank, even if
it's painful. Very likely you'll say I'm a self-centered little beast,
but I'm going to marry your brother, my dear, and I'm going to marry him
in the face of considerable family opposition. I _am_ selfish. Can you
show me any one who isn't largely swayed by motives of self-interest, if
it comes to that? I want to be happy. I want to be on good terms with my
own people, so that Charlie will have some of the opportunities dad can
so easily put in his way. Charlie isn't rich. He hasn't done anything,
according to the Abbey standard, but make a fair start. Dad's
patronizing as sin, and mother merely tolerates the idea because she
knows that I'll marry Charlie in any case, opposition or no opposition.
I came over expressly to warn you, Stella. Anything like scandal now
would be--w