"A great coward! Oh, courage! Easy enough, when you know you've physical strength, to go smashing into a weaker man--or a dozen! That's so obvious, so easy. But when something difficult comes up--" He swore impatiently to himself. "Yes, something difficult. When the odds are all against you, you give up--do just what a cold-blooded little vixen wants of you. Why? Because you have no pride!" she cried heatedly. "Don't talk to me of courage! I have a thousand times more than you, to come to-night!" "By jove! You're right!" he said, folding his arms. "Hold up, now; that's enough. You've reached me. Don't say any more!" She began to feel sorry for the way she had attacked him, feeling his utter loneliness. Finally he ceased humming to himself, and turned. "You're an honest, brave little thing--a child!" he said slowly. "I don't know you at all. Who are you? What are you? I've only met you at a couple of rowdy parties, and yet you talk this way! Are you straight?" "Mr. Lindaberry!" "I mean no offense--I wouldn't care. You're genuine, that's the thing! I'm your friend, proud to be! Tell me about yourself!" She saw that social judgments meant nothing to him; in fact, she was rather touched by the thought that, even if she had not been what he called "straight," he would have given her a loyal respect. "Me?" she said dreamily. "I don't know what to tell you! I come from nothing--a little town way out in Ohio. Never had a home--sort of turned over to an aunt and uncle. I've shifted for myself, but I've never lost my nerve. I was bound to get into a bigger life, to do something--if only to be free, to live! I've done a lot of foolish things, I suppose, because I'm a little crazy myself--can't resist excitement!" "You shouldn't have gone to that party at Sassoon's," he said. "You are too innocent to understand what it meant!" "I'm not living in a sheltered house!" she protested. "I'm hurting no one. I face the world by myself, stand on my own feet, and I can take care of myself. I'm not ignorant!" "Yes, you are. You can't know. You think you can, but you can't know! No girl can, until--until she's caught!" He looked at her steadily. "You know, at bottom you _are_ a child. That's the danger! What the devil sent you out here to-night?" "A good angel, perhaps," she said evasively. He laughed obstinately, but with less resistance. "No, that isn't it!" she said impulsively. "I am in a reckless mood myself. I am hurt--oh, so hurt! Disappointed in a man. You see, we _are_ comrades, in a way!" "Good God! Who could have hurt you!" he said roughly. "It was all a mistake; it wasn't meant, perhaps, but that doesn't help much!" He reached out his hand and laid it comfortingly over her shoulder, surprising her with the tenderness in his touch and in his voice.