This is good-bye to you for the summer and, better than that, it is good-bye to you for life. Why not, in parting, face the truth that we have long hated each other and have used our acquaintanceship and our letters to express our hatred? How could there ever have been any friendship between you and me? Let me tell you of the detestable little signs that I have noticed in you for years. Are you aware that all the time you have occupied your apartment, you have never changed the arrangement of your furniture? As soon as your guests are gone, you push every chair where it was before. For years your one seat has been the same end of the same frayed sofa. Many a time I have noted your disquietude if any guest happened to sit there and forced you to sit elsewhere. For years you have worn the same breast-pin, though you have several. The idea of your being inconstant to a breast-pin! You pride yourself in such externals of faithfulness. You soul of perfidy! I leave you undisturbed to innumerable appointments with Ben, and with the same particular something to talk about, falsest woman I have ever known. Have you confided to Ben Doolittle the fact that you are secretly receiving almost constant attentions from Dr. Mullen? Will you tell him? _Or shall I?_ TILLY SNOWDEN. POLLY BOLES TO BEN DOOLITTLE _June 23rd._ DEAR BEN: I am worried. I begin to feel doubtful as to what course I should pursue with Dr. Claude Mullen. Of late he has been coming too often. He has been writing to me too often. He appears to be losing control of himself. Things cannot go on as they are and they must not get worse. What I could not foresee is his determination to hold _me_ responsible for his being in love with me! He insists that _I_ encouraged him and am now unfair--_me_ unfair! Of course I have _never_ encouraged his visits; out of simple goodness of heart I have _tolerated_ them. Now the reward of my _kindness_ is that he holds me responsible and guilty. He is trying, in other words, to take advantage of my _sympathy_ for him. I _do_ feel sorry for him! I have not been cruel enough to dismiss him. His last letter is enclosed: it will give you some idea----! Can you advise me what to do? I have always relied upon _your_ judgment in everything. Faithfully yours, POLLY. BEN DOOLITTLE TO POLLY BOLES [Penciled in Court Room] _June 24th._ DEAR POLLY: Certainly I can advise you. My advice is: tell him to take a cab and drive straight to the nearest institution for the weak-minded, engage a room, lock himself in and pray God to give him some sense. Tell him to stay secluded there until that prayer is answered. The Almighty himself couldn't answer his prayer until after his death, and by that time he'd be out of the way anyhow and you wouldn't mind. I return his funeral oration unread, since I did not wish to attract attention to myself as moved to tears in open court. BEN. BEN DOOLITTLE TO POLLY BOLES