"So we are. I drove up this morning to bid Miss Van Arsdale _bon voyage_, and all the luck in the world. I suppose we three shall meet again one of these days." "You prophesy in the most matter-of-fact tone a gross improbability," observed Miss Van Arsdale. "Oh, our first meeting was the gross improbability," retorted the girl lightly. "After that anything might be logical. _Au revoir_." "Go with her, Ban," said Miss Camilla. "It isn't leaving time yet," he protested. "There's five whole minutes." "Yes; come with me, Ban," said Io tranquilly. Camilla Van Arsdale kissed his cheek, gave him a little, half-motherly pat, said, "Keep on making me proud of you," in her even, confident tones, and pushed him out of the door. Ban and Io walked down the long platform in a thoughtful silence which disconcerted neither of them. Io led the way out of it. "At half-past four," she stated, "I had a glass of milk and one cracker." "Where do you want to breakfast?" "Thanking you humbly, sir, for your kind invitation, the nearer the better. Why not here?" They found a table in the well-appointed railroad restaurant and ordered. Over her honey-dew melon Io asked musingly: "What do you suppose she thinks of us?" "Miss Camilla? What should she think?" "What, indeed? What do we think, ourselves?" "Has it any importance?" he asked gloomily. "And that's rather rude," she chided. "Anything that I think should, by courtesy, be regarded as important.... Ban, how often have we seen each other?" "Since I came to New York, you mean?" "Yes." "Nine times." "So many? And how much have we talked together? All told; in time, I mean." "Possibly a solid hour. Not more." "It hasn't made any difference, has it? There's been no interruption. We've never let the thread drop. We've never lost touch. Not really." "No. We've never lost touch." "You needn't repeat it as if it were a matter for mourning and repentance. I think it rather wonderful.... Take our return from the train, all the way down without a word. Were you sulking, Ban?" "No. You know I wasn't." "Of course I know it. It was simply that we didn't need to talk. There's no one else in the world like that.... How long is it? Three years--four--more than four years. 'We twain once well in sunder What will the mad gods do For hate with me, I wond--'" "My God, Io! Don't!" "Oh, Ban; I'm sorry! Have I hurt you? I was dreaming back into the old world." "And I've been trying all these years not to." "Is the reality really better? No; don't answer that! I don't want you to. Answer me something else. About Betty Raleigh." "What about her?" "If I were a man I should find her an irresistible sort of person. Entirely aside from her art. Are you going to marry her, Ban?" "No." "Tell me why not." "For one reason because she doesn't want to marry me."