all kinds of courage--perhaps too many kinds."

"How do you mean?"

"She has the courage of her convictions and her convictions,
sometimes, don't amount to much."

"Go on and cut her up," said Shotwell, sarcastically.

"That's the only fault I find with Palla Dumont," explained the
other.

"I thought you said she was a type?"

"She is,--the type of unmarried woman who continually develops too
much pep for her brain to properly take care of."

"You mean you consider Palla Dumont neurotic?"

"No. Nothing abnormal. Perhaps super-normal--pathologically speaking.
Bodily health is fine. But over-secretion of ardent energy sometimes
disturbs one's mental equilibrium. The result, in a crisis, is likely
to result in extravagant behavior. Martyrs are made of such stuff, for
example."

"You think her a visionary?"

"Well, her reason and her emotions sometimes become rather badly
entangled, I fancy."

"Don't everybody's?"

"At intervals. Then the thing to do is to keep perfectly cool till the
fit is over."

"So you think her impulsive?"

"Well, I should say so!" smiled Estridge. "Of course I mean nicely
impulsive--even nobly impulsive.... But that won't help her. Impulse
never helped anybody. It's a spoke in the wheel--a stumbling block--a
stick to trip anybody.... Particularly a girl.... And Palla Dumont
mistakes impulse for logic. She honestly thinks that she reasons." He
smiled to himself: "A disturbingly pretty girl," he murmured, "with a
tender heart ... which seems to do all her thinking for her.... How
well do you know her, Jim?"

"Not well. But I'm going to, I hope."

Estridge glanced up interrogatively, suddenly remembering all the
uncontradicted gossip concerning a tacit understanding between
Shotwell, Jr., and Elorn Sharrow. It is true that no engagement had
been announced; but none had been denied, either. And Miss Sharrow had
inherited her mother's fortune. And Shotwell, Jr., made only a young
man's living.

"You ought to be rather careful with such a girl," he remarked
carelessly.

"How, careful?"

"Well, she's rather perilously attractive, isn't she?" insisted
Estridge smilingly.

"She's extremely interesting."

"She certainly is. She's rather an amazing girl in her way. More
amazing than perhaps you imagine."

"Amazing?"

"Yes, even astounding."

"For example?"

"I'll give you an example. When the Reds invaded that convent and
seized the Czarina and her children, Palla Dumont,