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through the winter and two marvellous plays； and I love； next to yourself；
the most wonderful woman God ever made。 That's enough。〃
〃But I thought you made such a lot of money by writing？〃 asked Miss
Cavendish。
〃I dothat is； I could；〃 answered Carroll； 〃if I wrote the things that sell；
but I keep on writing plays that won't。〃
〃And such plays！〃 exclaimed Marion； warmly； 〃and to think that they
are going begging。〃 She continued indignantly； 〃I can't imagine what the
managers do want。〃
〃I know what they don't want；〃 said the American。 Miss Cavendish
drummed impatiently on the tea…tray。
〃I wish you wouldn't be so abject about it；〃 she said。 〃If I were a man
I'd make them take those plays。〃
〃How？〃 asked the American； 〃with a gun？〃
〃Well； I'd keep at it until they read them；〃 declared Marion。 〃I'd sit
on their front steps all night and I'd follow them in cabs； and I'd lie in wait
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for them at the stage…door。 I'd just make them take them。〃
Carroll sighed and stared at the ceiling。 〃I guess I'll give up and go
home；〃 he said。
〃Oh； yes； do； run away before you are beaten；〃 said Miss Cavendish；
scornfully。 〃Why； you can't go now。 Everybody will be back in town
soon； and there are a lot of new plays coming on； and some of them are
sure to be failures； and that's our chance。 You rush in with your piece
and somebody may take it sooner than close the theatre。〃
〃I'm thinking of closing the theatre myself；〃 said Carroll。 〃What's the
use of my hanging on here？〃 he exclaimed。 〃It distresses Helen to know
I am in London； feeling about her as I doand the Lord only knows how it
distresses me。 And； maybe； if I went away；〃 he said； consciously； 〃she
might miss me。 She might see the difference。〃
Miss Cavendish held herself erect and pressed her lips together with a
severe smile。 〃If Helen Cabot doesn't see the difference between you and
the other men she knows now；〃 she said； 〃I doubt if she ever will。
Besides〃 she continued； and then hesitated。 〃Well； go on；〃 urged
Carroll。
〃Well； I was only going to say；〃 she explained； 〃that leaving the girl
alone never did the man any good unless he left her alone willingly。 If
she's sure he still cares； it's just the same to her where he is。 He might as
well stay on in London as go to South Africa。 It won't help him any。
The difference comes when she finds he has stopped caring。 Why； look
at Reggie。 He tried that。 He went away for ever so long； but he kept
writing me from wherever he went； so that he was perfectly miserable
and I went on enjoying myself。 Then when he came back； he tried going
about with his old friends again。 He used to come to the theatre with
themoh； with such nice girlsbut he always stood in the back of the box
and yawned and scowledso I knew。 And； anyway； he'd always spoil it
all by leaving them and waiting at the stage entrance for me。 But one day
he got tired of the way I treated him and went off on a bicycle tour with
Lady Hacksher's girls and some men from his regiment； and he was gone
three weeks and never sent me even a line； and I got so scared； I couldn't
sleep； and I stood it for three days more； and then I wired him to come
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back or I'd jump off London Bridge； and he came back that very night
from Edinburgh on the express； and I was so glad to see him that I got
confused； and in the general excitement I promised to marry him； so that's
how it was with us。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the American； without enthusiasm； 〃but then I still care；
and Helen knows I care。〃
〃Doesn't she ever fancy that you might care for some one else？ You
have a lot of friends； you know。〃
〃Yes； but she knows they are just thatfriends；〃 said the American。
Miss Cavendish stood up to go； and arranged her veil before the mirror
above the fireplace。
〃I come here very often to tea；〃 she said。
〃It's very kind of you；〃 said Carroll。 He was at the open window；
looking down into the street for a cab。
〃Well； no one knows I am engaged to Reggie；〃 continued Miss
Cavendish； 〃except you and Reggie； and he isn't so sure。 SHE doesn't
know it。〃
〃Well？〃 said Carroll。
Miss Cavendish smiled a mischievous kindly smile at him from the
mirror。
〃Well？〃 she repeated； mockingly。 Carroll stared at her and laughed。
After a pause he said： 〃It's like a plot in a comedy。 But I'm afraid I'm
too serious for play…acting。〃
〃Yes； it is serious；〃 said Miss Cavendish。 She seated herself again
and regarded the American thoughtfully。 〃You are too good a man to be
treated the way that girl is treating you； and no one knows it better than
she does。 She'll change in time； but just now she thinks she wants to be
independent。 She's in love with this picture…painting idea； and with the
people she meets。 It's all new to herthe fuss they make over her and the
titles； and the way she is asked about。 We know she can't paint。 We
know they only give her commissions because she's so young and pretty；
and American。 She amuses them； that's all。 Well； that cannot last； she'll
find it out。 She's too clever a girl； and she is too fine a girl to be content
with that long。 Thenthen she'll come back to you。 She feels now that
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she has both you and the others； and she's making you wait： so wait and be
cheerful。 She's worth waiting for； she's young； that's all。 She'll see the
difference in time。 But； in the meanwhile； it would hurry matters a bit if
she thought she had to choose between the new friends and you。〃
〃She could still keep her friends； and marry me；〃 said Carroll； 〃I have
told her that a hundred times。 She could still paint miniatures and marry
me。 But she won't marry me。〃
〃She won't marry you because she knows she can whenever she wants
to；〃 cried Marion。 〃Can't