He moved a step towards her, but she drew back. “It’s all right,” she said with the tears glistening wet on her face, and dabbed at her eyes with her tiny handkerchief, “but, oh, Robin boy, why couldn’t you have held your tongue?” “I suppose I had no right to speak ...” the young man began. The girl sighed. “I oughtn’t to say it ... now,” she said slowly, and looked across at Robin with shining eyes, “but, Robin dear, I’m ... I’m glad you did!” She paused a moment as though turning something over in her mind. “I’ve ... I’ve got something to tell you, Robin,” she began. “No, stay where you are! We must be sensible now.” She paused and looked at him. “Robin,” she said slowly, “I’ve promised to marry somebody else ...” There was a moment’s silence. “Who is it?” Robin asked in a hard voice. The girl made no answer. “Who is it? Do I know him?” Still the girl was silent, but she gave a hardly perceptible nod. “Not ...? No, no, Mary, it isn’t true? It can’t be true?” The girl nodded, her eyes to the ground. “It’s a secret still,” she said. “No one knows but Mother. Hartley doesn’t want it announced yet!” The sound of the Christian name suddenly seemed to infuriate Greve. “By God!” he cried, “it shan’t be! You must be mad, Mary, to think of marrying a man like Hartley Parrish. A fellow who’s years older than you, who thinks of nothing but money, who stood out of the war and made a fortune while men of his own age were doing the fighting for him! It’s unthinkable ... it’s ... it’s damnable to think of a gross, ill-bred creature like Parrish ...” “Robin!” the girl cried, “you seem to forget that we’re staying in his house. In spite of all you say he seems to be good enough for you to come and stay with ...” “I only came because you were to be here. You know that perfectly well. I admit one oughtn’t to blackguard one’s host, but, Mary, you must see that this marriage is absolutely out of the question!” The girl began to bridle up, “Why?” she asked loftily. “Because ... because Parrish is not the sort of man who will make you happy ...” “And why not, may I ask? He’s very kind and very generous, and I believe he likes me ...” Robin Greve made a gesture of despair. “My dear girl,” he said, trying to control himself to speak quietly, “what do you know about this man? Nothing. But there are beastly stories circulating about his life ...” Mary Trevert laughed cynically. “My dear old Robin,” she said, “they tell stories about every bachelor. And I hardly think you are an unbiassed judge ...” Robin Greve was pacing up and down the floor. “You’re crazy, Mary,” he said, stopping in front of her, “to dream you can ever be happy with a man like Hartley Parrish. The man’s a ruthless egoist. He thinks of nothing but money and he’s out to buy you just exactly as you ...”