Mrs. Sherman's lips tightened. "That's all very well," she broke out impatiently. "That's the sort of advice men always give to women, and never act on themselves. It's not the masculine way to sit calmly by and let another carry off what one wants. If a man _cares,_ he fights for his rights. It's only when he isn't interested that he's passive and speaks of _honorably playing the game_. All's fair in love and war! If you were in Amy's place--if the cases were reversed--and you saw something you'd set your heart on being deliberately taken away from you, I fancy _you_ wouldn't gracefully step down and out. At least I don't see you doing it, in my mind's eye, Horatio!" "Ah, but you miss the point! There's a great difference between claiming one's own and struggling to get possession of something that is lawfully another's. If I were in Miss Pelham's place, and were _sure_ the one I loved belonged to me by divine right, I'd have her--I'd have her in spite of the devil and all his works. But the thing would be to be _sure_. And one couldn't be sure so long as another claimant hadn't had his chance to be thrown down. When he'd had his chance, and the decks were cleared--_then_--!" "Goodness, Frank! I'd no idea you could be so intense. And I'll confess I've never given you credit for so much imagination. You've been talking of what you'd do in Amy's place quite as if you actually felt it. Your performance of the determined lover is really most convincing." Francis Ronald smiled. "A man who's succeeded in _convincing_ a woman has not lived in vain," he said. "Well, I must be off, Catherine. Good luck to you and to Miss Pelham--but bad luck if either of you dares stick her mischievous finger in other people's pies." He strode out of the room and the house. Meanwhile, Martha, industriously engaged in brushing Miss Lang's hair, was gradually, delicately feeling her way toward what was, in reality, the same subject.