"Do you think a man in my position has any right to ask a woman to marry him?" "What has your position to do with it?" she asked. "It has a lot if the woman wants five times what I'm earning," he answered. She gave a little startled cry. The stars swam before her. "Oh!" she gasped. "You mean--you mean you're thinking of some one like--like that?" "Yes," he answered. He had a vague notion this was not the sort of thing one ordinarily discussed with another woman. But Miss Winthrop was different from other women: she had both experience and common sense. "I asked her to marry me a year ago," he said. The stars were still swimming before her. "And--and she said--?" "She said she thought I ought to wait until I was earning ten thousand." "And that's the reason you--you wanted the ten thousand?" "Yes. You didn't think I wanted it for myself, did you?" "I didn't know," she answered. It was like a load removed from his shoulders. He breathed freer. "You're the most sensible woman I ever met, and I thought you could help me." She hated that word sensible now, though when Mr. Seagraves had used it to her it had seemed like a compliment. "You see, I had plenty of money when we were first engaged, and so it didn't make any difference, even if she had plenty too. Then, when Dad tied up my share, why, it made things different. We talked it over and decided that ten thousand was about right; but--well, I didn't think it would take so long to get it." "Where is--where is she now?" Miss Winthrop demanded. "She went abroad in June to stay until September." "And left you here?" "Of course. I couldn't go." "And left you here?" she repeated. "That's what you get for being in business," he explained. "We had planned to go together--on our honeymoon." The air was getting chill. She shivered. "Aren't you warm enough?" he asked. He started to remove his jacket to throw over her shoulders, but she objected. "I'm all right." "Better put it on." "No; I don't want it." They were silent a moment, and then she said, almost complainingly:-- "As long as you couldn't go, why didn't she stay here with you?" The question startled him. "In town?" he exclaimed. "Why didn't she stay here and look after you?" "Why, she couldn't do that when she was going abroad." "Then she had no business to go abroad," she answered fiercely. "Now, look here," he put in. "We aren't married, you know. We're only engaged." "But _why_ aren't you married?" "We couldn't afford it." "That isn't true. You could afford it on half what you're earning." He shook his head. "You don't know." "She should have married you, and if she wanted more she should have stayed and helped you get more." "And helped?" he exclaimed. She was looking up at the stars again. They were getting steadier. "It's the only way a woman can show--she cares." Then she rose. She was shivering again. "I think we'd better go now." "But we haven't been here a half-hour," he protested.