r."

"For both of them?"

"For her. Never mind him."

"Very well. That again simplifies the problem. But his asking her is a
contingency only?"

"Yes, that's all."

The philosopher spread out his hands.

"My dear young lady," he said, "it becomes a question of degree. How
probable or improbable is it?"

"I don't know; not very probable--unless--"

"Well?"

"Unless he did happen to notice, you know."

"Ah, yes; we supposed that, if he thought of it, he would probably take
the desired step-at least, that he might be led to do so. Could she
not--er--indicate her preference?"

"She might try--no, she couldn't do much. You see, he--he doesn't think
about such things."

"I understand precisely. And it seems to me, Miss May, that in that
very fact we find our solution."

"Do we?" she asked.

"I think so. He has evidently no natural inclination toward
her--perhaps not toward marriage at all. Any feeling aroused in him
would be necessarily shallow and, in a measure, artificial, and in all
likelihood purely temporary. Moreover, if she took steps to arouse his
attention one of two things would be likely to happen. Are you
following me?"

"Yes, Mr. Jerningham."

"Either he would be repelled by her overtures, which you must admit is
not improbable, and then the position would be unpleasant, and even
degrading, for her; or, on the other hand, he might, through a
misplaced feeling of gallantry--"

"Through what?"

"Through a mistaken idea of politeness, or a mistaken view of what was
kind, allow himself to be drawn into a connection for which he had no
genuine liking. You agree with me that one or other of these things
would be likely?"

"Yes, I suppose they would, unless he did come to care for her."

"Ah, you return to that hypothesis. I think it's an extremely fanciful
one. No, she need not marry A, but she must let B alone."

The philosopher closed his book, took off his glasses, wiped them,
replaced them, and leaned back against the trunk of the apple-tree.
The girl picked a dandelion in pieces. After a long pause she asked:

"You think B's feelings wouldn't be at all likely to--to change?"

"That depends on the sort of man he is. But if he is an able man, with
intellectual interests which engross him-a man who has chosen his path
in life--a man to whom women's society is not a necessity--"

"He's just like that," said the girl, and she bit the head off a daisy.

"Then," said the philosopher, "I