eached
Rangoon, Elsa was quite willing to let fate shift and set the scenes
how it would. The first step toward reversion is the casting aside of
one's responsibilities. Elsa shifted her cares to the shoulders of
fate. So long as the man behaved himself, so long as he treated her
with respect, real or feigned, nothing else mattered.

The phase that escaped her entirely was this, that had he not
progressed, she would have retained her old poise, the old poise of
which she was never again to be mistress. It is the old tale: sympathy
to lift up another first steps down. And never had her sympathy gone
out so quickly to any mortal. Elsa had a horror of loneliness, and
this man seemed to be the living presentment of the word. What
struggles, and how simply he recounted them! What things he had seen,
what adventures had befallen him, what romance and mystery! She
wondered if there had been a woman in his life and if she had been the
cause of his downfall. Every day of the past ten years lay open for
her to admire or condemn, but beyond these ten years there was a
Chinese Wall, over which she might not look. Only once had she
provoked the silent negative nod of his head. He was strong. Not the
smallest corner of the veil was she permitted to turn aside. She
walked hither and thither along the scarps and bastions of the barrier,
but never found the breach.

"Will you come and dine with me to-night?" she asked, as they left the
boat.

"No, Miss Innocence."

"That's silly. There isn't a soul I know here."

"But," gravely he replied, "there are many here who know me."

"Which infers that my invitation is unwise?"

"Absolutely unwise."

"Tea?"

"Frankly, I ought not to be seen with you."

"Why? Unless, indeed, you have not told me the truth."

"I have told you the truth."

"Then where's the harm?"

"For myself, none. On the boat it did not matter so much. It was a
situation which neither of us could foresee nor prevent. I have told
you that people here look askance at me because they know nothing about
me, save that I came from the States. And they are wise. I should be
a cad if I accepted your invitation to dinner."

"Then, I am not to see you again?"

The smile would have lured him across three continents. "To-morrow, I
promise to call and have tea with you, much against my better judgment."

"Oh, if you don't want to come . . ."

"Don't want to come!"

Something in his eyes caused E