"You see--you oughtn't to have come to see me to-day. I--I'm not fit for society. I tried to warn you. I haven't had time--to get philosophical yet." The helper spoke into the dusty closet: "Well, you don't need to get philosophical with me. I'm pretty mad myself--as far as that goes." "I wasn't prepared for it--at all.... And then I've been beating my head against it--like a fool--all afternoon." Well he knew Mary's horror of weakness, her warranted confidence in her own self-control. Well he understood her regret for that uniquely sharp speech of hers. Was it this, a novel impulse to justify herself in his eyes, that seemed to force her on, beyond his expectation and against her own will? "But don't suppose I went there expecting to have my own way about everything--manage them around like children. I didn't. I went respectfully. I went to beg. But it was no use." Silence: and then the hard voice went on rapidly:-- "She and Donald had talked it all over, and decided that it would be best for his career to go to New York. She and Donald ... I _did_ think that, as I was planning Donald's work when she was still in short dresses, my opinion might have some weight with her. And I thought, just as you did, that something might be saved if they stayed here for the present--kept the house and all the rest of it. And then, of course, I lost my temper--that makes twice.... I reminded her how she had told me once that nothing could induce _her_ to leave her mother, as a widow.... What was the use? Of course she only cried, and said it was hopeless to try to explain to me--how differently a woman felt about all these things when she was going to be married. I believe she said I was incapable of understanding the new emotions that came with a great love." That, indeed, seemed a romantic description of the mild, chance product of the Fordette. However, the replete young authority only said:-- "Then I suppose it's great love that taught her engineering so quickly--and all Donald's little peculiarities?" Mary Wing made no answer. Her capable small hands took up the literature lately provided by Charles. And when she spoke, it was as if his unaccustomed acrimony had met and destroyed her own. "Oh, it's natural that we should see everything differently. She is really a sweet-natured girl. I'm sorry already for what I said to her.... And her not wanting to stay here--you mustn't think that's just a selfish whim--just wanting to live in New York. Of course, what she wants is to have Donald to herself--to have their young married life to themselves. And my going there to give advice to-day--naturally that made her more certain than ever that she could never have that here--with me just around the corner. She let me understand that, finally. She intimated that Donald had said as much--he was tired of being managed.... Oh, it's perfectly natural, perfectly right. To-morrow, I'll accept it easily enough.... As I say--I haven't had much time."