"Who is Peter going to marry for that matter?" Gertrude cut in. "Oh! it doesn't make any difference,--we're losing them just the same." "Not necessarily," Beulah said. "No matter what combinations come about, we shall still have an indestructible friendship." "Indestructible friendship--shucks," Gertrude cried. "The boys are going to be married--married--married! Marriage is the one thing that indestructible friendships don't survive--except as ghosts." "It should be Peter who is going to marry Eleanor," Margaret said. "It's Peter who has always loved her best. It's Peter she cares for." "As a friend," Beulah said, "as her dearest friend." "Not as a friend," Margaret answered softly, "she loves him. She has always loved him. It comes early sometimes." "I don't believe it. I simply don't believe it." "I believe it," Gertrude said. "I hadn't thought of it before. Of course, it must be Peter who is going to marry her." "If it isn't we've succeeded in working out a rather tragic experiment," Margaret said, "haven't we?" "Life is a tragic experiment for any woman," Gertrude said sententiously. "Peter doesn't intend to marry Eleanor," Beulah persisted. "I happen to know." "Do you happen to know who he is going to marry?" "Yes, I do know, but I--I can't tell you yet." "Whoever it is, it's a mistake," Margaret said. "It's our little Eleanor he wants. I suppose he doesn't realize it himself yet, and when he does it will be too late. He's probably gone and tied himself up with somebody entirely unsuitable, hasn't he, Beulah?" "I don't know," Beulah said; "perhaps he has. I hadn't thought of it that way." "It's the way to think of it, I know." Margaret's eyes filled with sudden tears. "But whatever he's done it's past mending now. There'll be no question of Peter's backing out of a bargain--bad or good, and our poor little kiddie's got to suffer." "Beulah took it hard," Gertrude commented, as they turned up-town again after dropping their friend at her door. The two girls were spending the night together at Margaret's. "I wonder on what grounds. I think besides being devoted to Eleanor, she feels terrifically responsible for her. She isn't quite herself again either." "She is almost, thanks to Peter." "But--oh! I can't pretend to think of anything else,--who--who--who--are our boys going to marry?" "I don't know, Gertrude." "But you care?" "It's a blow." "I always thought that you and David--" Margaret met her eyes bravely but she did not answer the implicit question. "I always thought that you and Jimmie--" she said presently. "Oh! Gertrude, you would have been so good for him." "Oh! it's all over now," Gertrude said, "but I didn't know that a living soul suspected me." "I've known for a long time." "Are you really hurt, dear?" Gertrude whispered as they clung to each other. "Not really. It could have been--that's all. He could have made me care. I've never seen any one else whom I thought that of. I--I was so used to him."