“Is she engaged to Beechman?” I asked carelessly, but the question was not one that could sound other than raw. He smiled--an expression I did not like. At first I thought it a rebuke to my impertinence. Afterwards I saw no such notion was in his mind. “Beechman? Good Lord, no.” “You are _sure_?” “Absolute. He’d not dare go in that direction with _her_.” “Why not?” said I. “Oh--well--you see-- She doesn’t care for him,” replied Armitage lamely. I was not liking him so well, now that I knew the world--his world--better and could judge its beliefs and its hypocrisies more accurately. “He’s an unusual man,” said I. “She might easily care for him.” “Well, she doesn’t,” retorted he irritably. “I happen to know she doesn’t.” I was convinced. Armitage’s tone said in effect that he had heard the rumor, had questioned her, had been assured that there was no basis for it. So, she was abroad--five or six days away. I could not go to her and make a beginning. Would I have gone if she had been within reach? I do not know. I rather think not. As I have said, I was old-fashioned; and the sort of love I felt for her, and my sense of what she had suffered at the hands of the first man she had trusted would have made me wait, I hope, until I was free. Still, love is insidiously compelling. Who can say what love would or would not beguile or goad him into doing? The old-fashioned man, always reminding himself that women haven’t an equal chance with men, was inclined to be considerate in his dealings with a woman. The new-fashioned man lets her look out for herself. I am not sure that he is wrong. Perhaps some who have read thus far will guess the reason for my doubt. You may imagine how impatiently I waited for Edna to arrive. I am afraid Rossiter found me difficult in those intervening days. Only the weak sort of men and women are easy for an intelligent person to live with. Men and women of positive character have their impossible moods. I made this remark to Mary Kirkwood on that yachting trip in the Sound. And her quick answer was: “Yes, that’s true. But everything worth while is difficult. Weathering the stormy days would have its compensations--and more.” What a woman! No wonder I loved her. When Edna finally arrived----