ntinged with a liability to become something less capable of definition. But since her marriage she had been forced into a world of secondary experiences. Winn, to begin with, had stood very mu

ut in practice she generally found them unsympathetic, and incapable of the finest type of intimacy. They did not seem to know what the word devotion meant. Men did, especially young men, though the older ones talked more about it. Estelle had already seen herself after marriage as a confidante to Winn's young brother officers. She would help them as only a good woman can. (She foresaw particularly how she wou

ll. After that point, they must be gently and firmly stopped, or else they might become tiresome, and that would be bad both for them and for you. Especially with a husband like Winn, who seemed incapable of grasping fine shades, and far too c

r her to think of somebody else, and her mind fixed itself at once upon her husband's friend. It seemed to her that in Lionel Drummond she would find a perfect spiritual counterpart. She dreamed of a friendship

nn being led-he was too truculent-and he had never in his tenderest moments evinced the slightest taste for high

c of the path of duty to meet them. They would still keep on it, of course; they would never go any further than Petrarch and Laura. These historic philanderers

that when Estelle heard Winn banging about at the last moment in his dressing room, she knocked at his door. Even the lowest type of man can be used as a sup

id Estelle patiently, "that the key of

outstretched hands. "I am so very glad to see you at last," she said in her

laughed

," he said, "that Winn wo

behind him, "you don't know how great

on her husband. She had never known a man to dress so

tories, laughed at Lionel, and rallied his young wife. She had never seen hi

The two men talked for her and listened to her; she had a moment when she

to them after dinner and then they kept her wa

ng with her power, her beauty, her ability to charm,

nts of speech was (she could hear him now and then quite distinctly) talking like a cataract; and Lionel was, if anything, worse. Her impatience turned into suspicion. Probably Winn was poisoning his friend's mind against her. P

ve some music

ver her songs. Estelle sang rather prettily. She preferred songs of a type that dealt with bitter regret over unexplained partings. She san

inn, yo

't, but he need never know unless Winn gave her away. She need not have been afraid. Winn said quietly, as if he said it to her every evening, "D'you mind p

he little room. When he had finished, Lionel forgot to ask Estelle to sing aga

own her before. She guessed then that Winn had said nothing against her. After all, at the bottom of her h

smiled p

a great bond," and then she bega

el did not like talking about himself, and above all he disliked sympathetic admiration. He was not a conceited man, and it had not occurred to him that he was a suitable subject for admiration. Nor

splendid, perfect privilege. He supposed that she was a little shy, because she seemed to slip away from thei

s, and when she discovered that he hadn't any, her sympathy

wfully different. They know as much about my life as I do myself, and when I don't

nothing. He looked slightly amazed. It seemed so funny that Winn, who ha

ht up so differently. It was not my parents' fault of course-" she added rather quickly. Somethin

t up with a little ecstasy on this subject, but Estelle looked away from him, her great eyes strangely wistful and absorbed. She was an extra

her tiny manicured finger. "But sometimes I am a

concerting suddenness. "Why are you anxious?

her fear was, she only wanted to arouse the young man's

e a beginning, even

obviously wouldn't understand if she didn't mean anything-and she hardly knew him wel

-she was forced into the rather meager

se he seems perfectly strong-but I someti

you've noticed," he said, as if he were a police sergeant an

say it's all my foolishness, Mr. Drummond. I am afraid I am inclined to be nervous about other people's health-" Estelle sighed s

I never will, Mrs. Winn." She raised her eyes gratef

plained, "I care too

eeling that Petrarch and Laur

t her advances with open-hearted cordiality, but she had to make the advances. She had not meant to do this. Her idea had been to be a magnet, and magnet

jealous. He left her a great deal to Lionel, and treated her with good-n

her) would be a happy mixture of Lancelot and Galahad. The Galahad side of him would appear when Lancelot became inconvenient-and the Lancelot side of him would be there to fall back upon when Galahad got too dull. But in the

y was reall

hat had been subsidiary; and this was what puzzled Estelle most,

e, and if men weren't in love with any one else, they were usually in love with Estelle. But with Lionel everything stopped short. They conversed confidentially, they used each other's Christian names, but she was left with the sensation of having come up against an invisible barrier. There was no impact, and there was no curtness;

She tossed feverishly to and fro, planning their parting. Surely he would not leave her without a word? Sur

eliness she wondered if she wouldn't after all risk the Indian frontier t

play with his eternal experiments in leather. Lionel went with him. She heard the two men laughing t

ing nervously at her pen. He was going; was

and-shake at the door und

eard steps returning.

ed. "Shall I bother yo

ftly. "I hoped yo

was really a little stirred. He moved about the room restlessly, he wouldn't s

e got something to say to you, and I

fruitless endeavors to get him to move in any direction at all? It looked like it;

u've been so awfully good to me-you've let me feel we're friends." He p

o please say anything-anything you like. I shall always und

led, and put out her hand again toward the chair. This

y sat. His blue-gray eyes fixed themselves on hers intently,

surrounded by jolly little things, and perhaps India seems frightening and far away." Estelle shrank back a little; he put his hand on the back of her chair soothingly. "Of course it

e natural, I can't explain what I mean but not a bit like Winn. I needn't tell you what he is, I dare say you think it's cheek of me to talk about him at all, I can quite understand

telle's eyes had harden

," she said. "Has he compla

shed back

roachfully; "you know he wouldn't complain. He only told me that he wa

complained, I hardly see why you should attack me like this. I suppo

d looked down at h

g very fair, are you? Of course I'm not attacking you.

ard little laugh. "Well, what else have you to suggest

I'm about it. You know it isn't only that I think he won't care for staying on here, but I think it's a bit of a risk. I don't want to frighten you, but after a man'

flung up

invalid," she said, "he ou

He stood up very straight and stiff; only his eyes changed. He could not look at her; they were filled with co

case if you imagine your husband is an invalid. I think, if

t him with. "And another time perhaps you will know better than to s

er time I shall know better." The rain against the

t profile, his cap dragged over his forehead, his eyes hard, as they were when he had looked at her. He must have known she stood there at the window watching,