er?" suggested the philosopher. "Shall we call
him indifferent?"

"I don't know. Yes, rather indifferent. I don't think he thinks about
it, you know. But she--she's pretty. You needn't put that down."

"I was not about to do so," observed the philosopher.

"She thinks life with him would be just heaven; and-and she thinks she
would make him awfully happy. She would-would be so proud of him, you
see."

"I see. Yes?"

"And--I don't know how to put it, quite--she thinks that if he ever
thought about it at all he might care for her; because he doesn't care
for anybody else, and she's pretty--"

"You said that before."

"Oh dear, I dare say I did. And most men care for somebody, don't they?
Some girl, I mean."

"Most men, no doubt," conceded the philosopher.

"Well then, what ought she to do? It's not a real thing, you know, Mr.
Jerningham. It's in--in a novel I was reading." She said this hastily,
and blushed as she spoke.

"Dear me! And it's quite an interesting case! Yes, I see. The question
is, Will she act most wisely in accepting the offer of the man who
loves her exceedingly, but for whom she entertains only a moderate
affection--"

"Yes; just a liking. He's just a friend."

"Exactly. Or in marrying the other whom she loves ex--"

"That's not it. How can she marry him? He hasn't--he hasn't asked her,
you see."

"True; I forgot. Let us assume, though, for the moment, that he has
asked her. She would then have to consider which marriage would
probably be productive of the greater sum total of--"

"Oh, but you needn't consider that."

"But it seems the best logical order. We can afterward make allowance
for the element of uncertainty caused by--"

"Oh no; I don't want it like that. I know perfectly well which she'd do
if he-the other man you know-asked her."

"You apprehend that--"

"Never mind what I 'apprehend'. Take it as I told you."

"Very good. A has asked her hand, B has not."

"Yes."

"May I take it that, but for the disturbing influence of B, A would be
a satisfactory--er--candidate?"

"Ye--es; I think so."

"She therefore enjoys a certainty of considerable happiness if she
marries A?"

"Ye--es; not perfect, because of--B, you know."

"Quite so, quite so; but still a fair amount of happiness. Is it not
so?"

"I don't--well, perhaps."

"On the other hand, if B did ask her, we are to postulate a higher
degree of happiness for her?"

"Yes, please, Mr. Jerningham--much highe