_Mr. Richards_: “Well, I won’t, then. But do you know what I suspect, Lucy? I wouldn’t mention it to everybody, but I will to you—in strict confidence: I suspect that you’re rather ashamed of your grievance, if you have any. I suspect it’s nothing at all.” _Miss Galbraith_, very sternly at first, with a rising hysterical inflection: “Nothing, Allen! Do you call it _nothing_, to have Mrs. Dawes come out with all that about your accident on your way up the river, and ask me if it didn’t frighten me terribly to hear of it, even after it was all over; and I had to say you hadn’t told me a word of it? ‘Why, Lucy!’”—angrily mimicking Mrs. Dawes,—“‘you must teach him better than that. I make Mr. Dawes tell me everything.’ Little simpleton! And then to have them all laugh—Oh, dear, it’s too much!” _Mr. Richards_: “Why, my dear Lucy”— _Miss Galbraith_, interrupting him: “I saw just how it was going to be, and I’m thankful, _thankful_ that it happened. I saw that you didn’t care enough for me to take me into your whole life; that you despised and distrusted me, and that it would get worse and worse to the end of our days; that we should grow farther and farther apart, and I should be left moping at home, while you ran about making confidantes of other women whom you considered _worthy_ of your confidence. It all _flashed_ upon me in an _instant_; and I resolved to break with you, then and there; and I did, just as soon as ever I could go to my room for your things, and I’m glad,—yes,—Oh, hu, hu, hu, hu, hu!—_so_ glad I did it!” _Mr. Richards_, grimly: “Your joy is obvious. May I ask”— _Miss Galbraith_: “Oh, it wasn’t the _first_ proof you had given me how little you really cared for me, but I was determined it should be the last. I dare say you’ve forgotten them! I dare say you don’t remember telling Mamie Morris that you didn’t like embroidered cigar-cases, when you’d just _told_ me that you did, and let me be such a fool as to commence one for you; but I’m thankful to say _that_ went into the fire,—oh, yes, _instantly_! And I dare say you’ve forgotten that you didn’t tell me your brother’s engagement was to be kept, and let me come out with it that night at the Rudges’, and then looked perfectly aghast, so that everybody thought I had been blabbing! Time and again, Allen, you have made me suffer agonies, yes, _agonies_; but your power to do so is at an end. I am free and happy at last.” She weeps bitterly.