Kate came closer, close enough to see the dumb pain in his eyes. She exclaimed aloud, "Philip! Is it Channing then, after all? You think he has come between you--irrevocably? No, but you are wrong! That is over, absolutely over. It is for you to take out the sting.--See, Philip, I am going to be quite frank with you, franker than women generally are, even with themselves. You don't know much about girls. I do--about my own girl, at least, for I was just such a girl once.--There comes a time to young women, as to all young animals, when we look about us for our mates. We may not seek, perhaps, but we look about. And the first that comes--is very welcome, Philip.--That is all. Nature's way. If Jacqueline still thinks of Channing--well, it is only blessed human instinct to put aside the thing that hurts. But you must help her--she can't do it, alone. Only a new love drives out the hurt of the old. Jacqueline needs you, dear." He put out a protesting hand. She was asking him for help, his lady. He must not let her beg.... He said with stiff lips, "You think--she--would be willing--to marry me?" Kate nodded. "I suspect she'd like to show Mr. Channing as soon as possible how little impression he has left behind him!--But it wouldn't be that, of course," she added, seriously. "Underneath the other affair, she's always been a little in love with you, Philip. Women are complex creatures, with a capacity for being attracted quite in proportion to their capacity for attracting.... And after you are once married--You know, there's really no mystery about mating, except what the poets make. Nature goes about it with a beautiful simplicity. Given two young creatures, handsome, clean, healthy, mutually sympathetic, throw them together a while without too many distractions--and there you are! It's as inevitable as that two and two make four. Don't think too much about it, dear--you're too watchful, too introspective. Just let go, and be natural. She's very sweet, my Jacqueline, very loving and tender. And you--well, you're not unattractive, you know! Don't worry.--Why, I give you my word as a mother, as a woman," she exclaimed, "that a month after you and Jacqueline are married, you will both have forgotten any ridiculous little obstacle that ever kept you apart!..." She kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Come soon," she whispered. "It will comfort the child just now to know that she is wanted." Philip had taken the kiss with closed eyes. When he opened them again, his room was empty. He ran to the window, and saw her, a shadow shape, swing into her saddle with a shadowy wave of the hand for him. He stood there watching her out of sight, so soon out of sight; his lady, the woman he loved, so infinitely kind, and beautiful, and cruel, heedless as the gods are of homage they do not need. He groped his way back to the chair where she had sat, leaned his cheek where hers had rested--the place was still warm--and said good-by to her....