"And possibly this marriage was in the nature of a reprisal? Intended to show the jilting lady that--to put it plainly--there were still good fish in the sea?" "Yes--in a way it was." "Ah! Now I understand. And you, having doubtless been forced into the position of an accessory before the fact, are anxious that as little harm as possible shall be done to either party?" "Yes--but principally to the girl." "Of course, seeing that she was probably unconscious of the reason behind the match. Well, it seems hard that she should have been used as a catspaw, doesn't it?" "Oh, it wasn't as bad as that. Rose really liked the girl----" "In spite of her want of--soul?" "Yes. And I thought," said Barry eagerly, "that if you and I, and one or two more--Olive, for instance--could give her a helping hand now and then, show her how to make the best of herself and so on, things might turn out all right." "Ah, Barry!" Herrick looked at him with a half-humorous, half-sad smile. "You're very young--and youth is always--or should be--courageous. Do you really think that I, or you, or even Miss Lynn, can alter by a fraction the destiny marked out for that pretty child across the river there?" "Destiny--no, perhaps not," said Barry, taken aback by the big word. "But we might help her--help her to find herself, as the Ibsenites call it--realize her soul, and all the rest of it. The soul's _there_, all right, but somehow it seems to be hidden, undeveloped, or something of the sort." For a second the older man said nothing, though his square white teeth clenched themselves on the stem of his pipe. Then, removing the latter, he said slowly: "Do you remember what Browning says, Barry? 'Tis an awkward thing to play with souls And matter enough to save one's own!' Well, don't you agree with him--and me--that one's own soul takes a vast deal of salvation?" "Yes, of course--but still--I thought you would be ready to help...." His accent of dejection touched the other man's heart. "Come, don't look so disappointed. Of course I'll help, as much as I can! It ought to be an interesting task, anyway, helping a woman to find her soul. And if I can help her in any way, I will." "Good! But how?" He wanted to clinch the matter. "Well, I suppose the first thing to do is to make the lady's acquaintance. I know Rose, slightly, and a call will no doubt be considered neighbourly. And if I can do anything for the child, you may depend on me to do it." "You're a brick, Jim!" In the midst of his relief Barry remembered the hour and rose hastily. "Well, I must be off, or the house will be shut up. Good-night, old chap. I'm no end obliged to you. I knew you would help, if anyone would." He had turned towards the door when a thought struck him and he turned back rather awkwardly. "I say, Jim"--he was looking down at the floor as he spoke--"I hadn't forgotten, but I didn't like to say much. How ... how is--she?"