'And, on the whole, you hope I'll tell you that you do.' 'Well, yes,' he assented. The dreadful steeling of her will at the very verge of swooning abysses gave an edge to her voice. She tried to dull it, to speak very quietly and mildly, as she said: 'I must have all the facts of the case before me, then. I confess I hadn't suspected it was a case.' 'Which means that you'd never dreamed I could fall in love with Miss Jakes.' Gerald's tone was a little rueful. 'Oh--you have fallen in love with her?' 'Why, that's just what I'm asking you!' he laughed again. 'Or, at least, not that exactly, for of course it's not a question of being in love. But I think her wise and good and gentle, and she cares for me--I think; and it seems almost like the finger of destiny--finding her here. Have you any idea how much money she has? It must be quite a lot,' said Gerald. Helen was ready with her facts. 'A very safe three thousand a year, I believe. Not much, of course, but quite enough for what you want to do. But,' she added, after the pause in which he reflected on this sum--it was a good deal less than he had taken for granted--'I don't think that Althea would marry you on that basis. She is very proud and very romantic. If you want her to marry you, you will have to make her feel that you care for her in herself.' It was her own pride that now steadied her pulses and steeled her nerves. She would be as fair to Gerald's case as though he were her brother; she would be too fair, perhaps. Here was the pitfall of her pride that she did not clearly see. Perhaps it was with a grim touch of retribution that she promised herself that since he could think of Althea Jakes, he most certainly should have her. 'Yes, she is proud,' said Gerald. 'That's one of the things one so likes in her. She'd never hold out a finger, however much she cared.' 'You will have to hold out both hands,' said Helen. 'You think she won't have me unless I can pretend to be in love with her? I'm afraid I can't take that on.' 'I'm glad you can't. She is too good for such usage. No,' said Helen, holding her scales steadily, 'perfect frankness is the only way. If she knows that you really care for her--even if you are not romantic--if you can make her feel that the money--though a necessity--is secondary, and wouldn't have counted at all unless you had come to care, I should say that your chances are good--since you have reason to believe that she has fallen in love with you.' 'It's not as if I denied her anything I had to give, is it?' Gerald pondered on the point of conscience she put before him. 'You mean that you're incapable of caring more for any woman than for Althea?' 'Of course not. I care a great deal more for you,' said Gerald, again rather rueful under her probes. 'I only mean that I'm not likely to fall in love again, or anything of that sort. She can be quite secure about me. I'll be her devoted and faithful husband.'