“I think I can guess the reason for your hatred of men,” said Miss Pleyden, who appeared to be disconcertingly shrewd. “But that will wear off, now that you are in a position where they no longer can take advantage of you. As I told you, I haven’t any respect for the lot I run with, but there must be men somewhere that have glamour enough to make a girl feel she’s head over. And what you want is a thumping love-affair.” “That sounds almost romantic.” The subject was distasteful, but Gita was forced to smile. “Not romantic. Merely undiluted nature. Fancy we all get it sooner or later, although nothing’s worrying me less at present. But what I haven’t seen I could inscribe on my thumb-nail. You’re built for it. Just you refurnish this old barrack and leave the rest to me.” “Oh, I’ll refurnish it if there’s money enough—air it, anyway. But I’ll stay here for a time and read——” “For God’s sake don’t tell me you’re intellectual!” “Far from it. Been too busy. But there are many things I ought to read.” “Don’t you dare queer my little game! Or if you will read tomey books keep it dark. It’s what you don’t know that gets you there. Life’s the Book, anyhow, when you’re young. . . . There’s no hope this summer, but you’ll visit me in New York next winter if I have to kidnap you. I haven’t been so interested in anyone before in all my young life. Wish I’d called before, but mother said you were inhuman and I kept putting it off. So did the other girls, but they’ll be along soon now. I’m Columbus, however, and shan’t let them forget it. That means I must go—mother’s been calling on Mrs. Carteret—but I’ll be over again in a day or two.” A motor-horn had sounded discreetly. Miss Pleyden caught her hat on the point of her swagger-stick, tossed it to the other hand, settled it carefully on her head, opened her vanity-case and applied her lip-stick. Then she sprang to her feet and laid her hand on Gita’s shoulder. “You’re all right,” she said emphatically. “I had an idea you weren’t——Well, never mind what I mean,” as Gita jerked up her head. “In some things, I fancy, you’re as green as mint. Dear old Dr. Freud would say you were heading straight for the rocks, but there’s a thing or two he didn’t know when he set to work on the sub. Fancy you’ve been saved by a sound endocrine constitution. You see I know a thing or two myself, even if I never let on, owing to a perfect policy. There’s another toot. We’ll have to go down.” CHAPTER IV