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orking class。''
‘‘That toils without ceasingits men； its women； its children'' said the girl with heaving bosom and flashing eyes‘‘only to have most of what it earns filched away from it by your class to waste in foolish luxury！''
‘‘And whose fault is that？'' pleaded Hull。
‘‘The fault of my class；'' replied she。 ‘‘Their ignorance； their stupidityyes； and their foolish cunning that overreaches itself。 For they tolerate the abuses of the present system because each manat least； each man of the ones who think themselves ‘smart'imagines that the day is coming when he can escape from the working class and gain the ranks of the despoilers。''
‘‘And you ask ME to come into the party of those people！'' scoffed Davy。
‘‘Yes； Mr。 Hull；'' said sheand until then he had not appreciated how lovely her voice was。 ‘‘Yesthat is the party for youfor all honest； sincere men who want to have their own respect through and through。 To teach those peopleto lead them rightto be truthful and just with themthat is the life worth while。''
‘‘But they won't learn。 They won't be led right。 They are as ungrateful as they are foolish。 If they weren't； men like me trying to make a decent career wouldn't have to compromise with the Kellys and the Houses and their masters。 What are Kelly and House but leaders of your class？ And they lead ten to Victor Dorn's one。 Why； any day Dorn's followers may turn on himand you know it。''
‘‘And what of that？'' cried Selma。 ‘‘He's not working to be their leader； but to do what he thinks is right； regardless of consequences。 Why is he a happy man； as happiness goes？ Why has he gone on his way steadily all these years； never minding setbacks and failures and defeats and dangers？ I needn't tell you why。''
‘‘No；'' said Hull； powerfully moved by her earnestness。 ‘‘I understand。''
‘‘The finest sentence that ever fell from human lips；'' Selma went on； ‘‘was ‘Father； forgive them； they know not what they do。' Forgive themforgive us all for when we go astray it is because we are in the dark。 And I want you to come with us； Mr。 Hull； and help to make it a little less dark。 At least； you will then be looking toward the lightand every one turned in that direction counts。''
After a long pause； Hull said：
‘‘Miss Gordon； may I ask you a very personal question？''
‘‘Yes；'' said she。
‘‘Are you in love with Victor Dorn？''
Selma laughed merrily。 ‘‘Jane Hastings had that same curiosity；'' said she。 ‘‘I'll answer you as I answered herthough she didn't ask me quite so directly。 No； I am not in love with him。 We are too busy to bother about those things。 We have too much to do to think about ourselves。''
‘‘Thenthere is no reason why I should not ask you to be my wifewhy I should not hopeand try？''
She looked at him with a peculiar smile。 ‘‘Yes； there is a very good reason。 I do not love you； and I shall not love you。 I shall not have time for that sort of thing。''
‘‘Don't you believe in love？''
‘‘I don't believe in much else；'' said she。 ‘‘Butnot the kind of love you offer me。''
‘‘How do you know？'' cried he。 ‘‘I have not told you yet how I feel toward you。 I have not''
‘‘Oh； yes； you have；'' interrupted she。 ‘‘This is the secondno； the third time you have seen me。 So； the love you offer me can only be of a kind it is not in the least flattering to a woman to inspire。 You needn't apologize；'' she went on； laughingly。 ‘‘I've no doubt you mean well。 You simply don't understand memy sort of woman。''
‘‘It's you that don't understand； Selma；'' cried he。 ‘‘You don't realize how wonderful you arehow much you reveal of yourself at once。 I was all but engaged to another woman when I saw you。 I've been fighting against my love for youfighting against the truth that suddenly came to me that you were the only woman I had ever seen who appealed to and aroused and made strong all that is brave and honest in me。 Selma； I need you。 I am not infatuated。
I am clearer… headed than I ever was in my life。 I need you。 You can make a man of me。''
She was regarding him with a friendly and even tender sympathy。 ‘‘I understand now；'' she said。 ‘‘I thought it was simply the ordinary outburst of passion。 But I see that it was the result of your struggle with yourself about which road to take in making a career。''
If she had not been absorbed in developing her theory she might have seen that Davy was not altogether satisfied with this analysis of his feelings。 But he deemed it wise to hold his peace。
‘‘You do need some onesome woman；'' she went on。 ‘‘And I am anxious to help you all I can。 I couldn't help you by marrying you。 To me marriage means'' She checked herself abruptly。 ‘‘No matter。 I can help you； I think； as a friend。 But if you wish to marry； you should take some one in your own class some one who's in sympathy with you。 Then you and she could work it out togethercould help each other。 You see； I don't need youand there's nothing in one… sided marriages。 。 。 。 No； you couldn't give me anything I need； so far as I can see。''
‘‘I believe that's true；'' said Davy miserably。
She reflected； then continued： ‘‘But there's Jane Hastings。 Why not marry her？ She is having the same sort of struggle with herself。 You and she could help each other。 And you're； both of you； fine characters。 I like each of you for exactly the same reasons。 。 。 。 YesJane needs you； and you need her。'' She looked at him with her sweet； frank smile like a breeze straight from the sweep of a vast plateau。 ‘‘Why； it's so obvious that I wonder you and she haven't become engaged long ago。 You ARE fond of her； aren't you？''
‘‘Oh； Selma；'' cried Davy； ‘‘I LOVE you。 I want YOU。''
She shook her head with a quaint； fascinating expression of positiveness。 ‘‘Now； my friend；'' said she； ‘‘drop that fancy。 It isn't sensible。 And it threatens to become silly。'' Her smile suddenly expanded into a laugh。 ‘‘The idea of you and me marriedof ME married to YOU！ I'd drive you crazy。 No； I shouldn't stay long enough for that。 I'd be of on the wings of the wind to the other end of the earth as soon as you tried to put a halter on me。''
He did not join in her laugh。 She rose。 ‘‘You will think again before you go in with those peoplewon't you； David？'' she said； sober and earnest。
‘‘I don't care what becomes of me；'' he said boyishly。
‘‘But _I_ do；'' she said。 ‘‘I want to see you the man you can be。''
‘‘Thenmarry me；'' he cried。
Her eyes looked gentle friendship； her passionate lips curled in scorn。 ‘‘I might marry the sort of man you could be；'' she said； ‘‘but I never could marry a man so weak that； without me to bolster him up； he'd become a stool…pigeon。''
And she turned and walked away。
V。
A few days later； after she had taken her daily two hours' walk； Selma went into the secluded part of Washington Park and spent the rest of the morning writing。 Her walk was her habitual time for thinking out her plans for the day。 And when it was writing that she had to do； and the weather was fine； that particular hillside with its splendid shade so restful for the eyes and so stimulating to the mind became her work…shop。 She thought that she