"That is all except that I've dined out once or twice with

Mr. Hargrave. And, somehow or other I felt queer and even

conspicuous going to the Regina with him and to other places

where you and I have been so often together...Also I felt a

little depressed. Everything always reminded me of you and of

happy evenings with you. I can't seem to get used to going

about with other men. But they seem to be very nice, very

kind, and very amusing.

"And a girl ought to be thankful to almost anybody who will

take her out of her monotony.

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"I'm afraid you've given me a taste for luxury and amusement.

You have spoiled me I fear. I am certainly an ungrateful

little beast, am I not, to lay the blame on you! But it is

dull, Clive, after working all day to sit every evening

reading alone, or lie on the bed and stare at the ceiling,

waiting for the others to come home.

"If it were not for that darling cat you gave me I'd perish

of sheer solitude. But he is such a comfort, Hafiz; and his

eyes are the bluest blue and his long, winter fur the

snowiest white, and his ruff is wonderful and his tail

magnificent. Also he is very affectionate to me. For which,

with perfect reverence, I venture to thank God.

"Good night, Clive. If you've struggled through this letter

so far you won't mind reading that I am faithfully and always

your friend,

"ATHALIE GREENSLEEVE."

Her letter thoroughly aroused Clive and he was all for going straight

to her--only he couldn't go that evening because he dared not break a

dinner engagement or fail to appear with his mother at the opera. In

fact he was already involved in a mess of social obligations for two

weeks ahead,--not an evening free--and Athalie worked during the day.

It gave him an odd, restless sensation to hear of her going about with

Francis Hargrave--dining alone with him. He felt almost hurt as though

she had done him a personal injustice, yet he knew that it was absurd

for him to resent anything of that sort. His monopoly of her happened

to be one merely because she, at that time, knew no other man of his

sort, and would not go out with any other kind of man.

Why should he expect her to remain eternally isolated except when he

chose to take her out? No young girl could endure that sort of thing

too long. Certainly Athalie was inevitably destined to meet other men,

be admired, admire in her turn, accept invitations. She was unusually

beautiful,--a charming, intelligent, clean-cut, healthy young girl.

She required companionship and amusement; she would be unhuman if she

didn't.




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