Then that intellectual, capable, intelligent and superbly healthy girl flopped down on her knees by Stephanie’s day-bed and, laying her lovely head on the pillow, began to whimper. "I—I don’t know what’s the matter with me," she stammered, "but my mind is full of that wretched man every minute of the day and half of the night. He is absolutely shameless; he makes love to me t-tyranically. It’s impossible for a girl to keep her reserve—her d-dignity with a m-man who takes her into his arms and k-kisses her whenever he chooses——" "What!" cried Stephanie, sitting bolt upright and staring at her friend. "Do you mean to tell me that Phil is _that_ sort of man?" "I didn’t think so, either," explained Helen. "I’ve known him for ages. He’s been so considerate and attentive and sweet to me—so gentle and self-effacing. I thought I could c-count on him. But a girl can’t tell anything about a man—even when he’s been an old and trusted friend of years." "What are you going to do about it?" asked Stephanie, blankly. "Do? I suppose I’ll go on doing what he wishes. I suppose I’ll marry him. It looks that way. I don’t seem to have any will power.... It’s such an odd sensation to be bullied." "Are you in love with him?" "I don’t know. I suppose I am. It makes me simply furious.... But I guess I am, Steve.... If he’d behaved as agreeably and pleasantly as he always had behaved I should never have cared for him except in a friendly way. He always has paid his courtship to me in the nicest way.... It was quite ideal, not disturbing, and we exchanged intellectual views quite happily and contentedly.... And then, suddenly he—he flew into a most frightful temper and he told me that he was ’_fed up_!’ My dear, can you imagine my rage and amazement? ... And then he told me what he thought of me—oh, Steve!—the most horrid things ever said about a girl he said to me! I was breathless! I felt as though he had beaten me and dragged me about by my hair.... And then—I don’t know how it happened—but I w-waited for him, and we walked home together, and I understood him to say that I’d got to love him if I were a human girl.... And I am.... So—it’s that way now with us.... And when I think about it I am still bewildered and furious with him.... But I don’t dare let him go.... There _are_ other girls, you know." Stephanie lay very still. Helen rose presently, turned and walked slowly to the door. There she paused for a moment, then turned. And Stephanie saw in her brown eyes an expression entirely new to her. "Helen! You _are_ in love with him!" she said. "I’m afraid I am.... Anyway, I shall not let him go until I am quite certain.... It’s abominable that he should have made of me a thing with which I never have had any patience—a girl whose heart has run away with her senses. And _that’s_ what he has done to me, I’m afraid." Stephanie suddenly flushed: