"Hold up!" With the point of his knife, disdainfully, he steered the bill from in front of him to a place of seclusion. "This ain't important, anyhow. It's your manner, kid. Rather uppish. Now, let's get a few things straight before we start. Do you remember one evening back in Cincinnati, in a howling dirty depot, when you wanted to give up everything and marry me? Do you?" She looked at him, and she blushed. Great heavens! Was it possible? "And what did I do? I was honest! I told you I was going to get a start first, to be sure I was the kind of a feller who could give you what you want. Didn't I?" "You should have married me then!" she said quickly. "Perhaps! But I didn't. Why? On your account! Just let's keep these things in mind. If I come back now, I'm to get as fair a chance as the next fellow! Now, Floss, don't come any airs over me! It won't go!" The hash arrived, and he attacked it, all smiles. How was she to make him understand the difference between them now--the immense worldly distance that now separated them? She remembered Sassoon's analysis, and adopted it as an inspiration. "My dear Josh," she said in a more conciliatory tone, "even if I were not engaged,--and engaged to a man I adore blindly,--there wouldn't be the slightest possibility for anything between us." "We'll see!" he said, unruffled, his mouth half full. "Your chance was in Cincinnati!" she said deliberately. "That was your mistake, or your good luck! I'm different now--so changed I don't recognize myself!" "Rats!" "True! I'm a vain, luxury-loving girl, who has got to live on excitement! I couldn't be happy a day away from all this! I adore New York! I've got to be on the go every minute! If I married a poor man, I'd ruin him in a month!" "What?" "In a month! I've got the taste, the habit of luxury; I just can't do without it! The man I marry has got to be able to give me everything I see other women have--dresses, jewels, automobiles,--or I should be miserable! You see, I don't spare myself; I tell you the truth. I've got to have money, and I've got to have New York!" He reflected a moment, studying the spareribs, which had just arrived. "Well, now, that might be arranged," he said thoughtfully. "I like this little burg myself." "What's the use of beating around the bush?" she said suddenly. "Josh, this is the truth; I've grown away from you and from all that old life. I've gone into a new. I'm in love, madly, blindly, and there's no other man in the world for me! You won't understand! You force me to be cruel! It's ended between us, and I never wish it to be brought up again. And if you are a gentleman, you won't pursue me; you'll go away!" "Gentleman's a stretchy word, kid!" he said, refusing to be angry. "But I'm here, and I'll stick! You can't ruffle me! I'm not here to get frothy at the mouth; I'm here to win you back!"