"That same afternoon we were lazying around in a boat among the
water-lilies at the edge of the bay.

"'Arthur,' says I, 'you never told me you'd had another love-affair.
But Mrs. Gurley did,' I went on, to let him know I knew. I hate to
hear a man lie.

"'Before you came,' says he, looking me frankly in the eye, 'there
was a previous affection--a strong one. Since you know of it, I will
be perfectly candid with you.'

"'I am waiting,' says I.

"'My dear Ida,' says Arthur--of course I went by my real name, while
I was in Soundport--'this former affection was a spiritual one, in
fact. Although the lady aroused my deepest sentiments, and was, as I
thought, my ideal woman, I never met her, and never spoke to her. It
was an ideal love. My love for you, while no less ideal, is
different. You wouldn't let that come between us.'

"'Was she pretty?' I asked.

"'She was very beautiful,' said Arthur.

"'Did you see her often?' I asked.

"'Something like a dozen times,' says he.

"'Always from a distance?' says I.

"'Always from quite a distance,' says he.

"'And you loved her?' I asked.

"'She seemed my ideal of beauty and grace--and soul,' says Arthur.

"'And this keepsake that you keep under lock and key, and moon over
at times, is that a remembrance from her?'

"'A memento,' says Arthur, 'that I have treasured.'

"'Did she send it to you?'

"'It came to me from her,' says he.

"'In a roundabout way?' I asked.

"'Somewhat roundabout,' says he, 'and yet rather direct.'

"'Why didn't you ever meet her?' I asked. 'Were your positions in
life so different?'

"'She was far above me,' says Arthur. 'Now, Ida,' he goes on, 'this
is all of the past. You're not going to be jealous, are you?'

"'Jealous!' says I. 'Why, man, what are you talking about? It makes
me think ten times as much of you as I did before I knew about it.'

"And it did, Lynn--if you can understand it. That ideal love was a
new one on me, but it struck me as being the most beautiful and
glorious thing I'd ever heard of. Think of a man loving a woman he'd
never even spoken to, and being faithful just to what his mind and
heart pictured her! Oh, it sounded great to me. The men I'd always
known come at you with either diamonds, knock-out-drops or a raise of
salary,--and their ideals!--well, we'll say no more.

"Yes, it made me think more of Arthur than I did before. I couldn't
be jealous of that far-away divinity that he used to worship, for