Miriam considered this very solemnly. Then she said: "Well, I think I should not mind. It does not seem to bother Lem to be married to me, and at the same time be involved in stirring friendships with other people." "Just one more sermon then, and I am through," he said, laughing. "It is this. Men and women are very different. A man can play his head off with a dozen women, and still stay in love with his wife, and want no one but her. But a really nice woman, and you are awfully nice, can not have love-affairs without love. When she loves a man, she wants him, and will not have any one else. Your husband can have a dozen affairs, and still want you. But if you have a pleasant affair--you may not want your husband." "Well, of course, Mr. Preacher, one must take a chance. And it is to be only play, you know. That must be understood right in the start. I am really not a bit advanced nor modern, nor anything. I have no forward ideas in my head. I am just tired of trying to please my husband; I want some one to please me. It does not seem to offer you much for your pains, does it? But you may find me fairly amusing." "I am sure of it," he agreed warmly. "And it is all settled, and we are going to play together. And if sometimes you get tired of me, and fire me off, I shall bob up serenely the next day and start over, just as we might have done when we were little children." When Miriam reported her progress in revolution to Eveley the next day, Eveley was greatly perturbed. "You went too fast," she said with a frown. "And besides--it is not fair. He isn't married. He will fall in love with you." "Oh, no, we have a regular understanding," said Miriam confidently. "It is all settled according to rules, and we are only going to play. Lem goes to his club to-night, and you and Nolan are to come and play pool with us. Doesn't it sound emancipated and free?" "Almost bolshevistic," said Eveley grimly. "I do not approve of it--not exactly--though I do think you are justified. But it is so risky--and people talk--" "Well, Eveley, I think it is better to have people say, 'What do you think of the way Miriam Landis is carrying on?' than 'Isn't Miriam Landis a little fool not to get next to her husband in all these years?' Shouldn't you?" "Well, we'll be there," said Eveley evasively. "We'll be right there. If he just wasn't so good-looking, and sort of--decent? Why didn't you pick out a roue? They are lots safer than these decent young chaps." Nolan, always a willing sacrifice when Eveley bade, joined them without demur, and a more rollickingly gay time they had never had. Even Eveley admitted that things seemed innocent and harmless enough, but she shook her head. "He is too good," she whispered to Miriam. "When he falls, he will fall hard. And if he is once in love, I have a feeling he will work like--like the dickens--and you haven't much spinal column yourself, you know. And I do not believe in home wreckers, and things."