"I told him I couldn't to-night; and what do you suppose he said? He
said, 'Does God like ladies better than gentlemen? I do.'"
It made him laugh, as she had hoped it would. "I fancy that is a
reflection upon me," he said. "The young man has never liked me." And
when he had clipped off the end of his cigar and struck a match under
the mantelpiece, he added, "So you hear him say his prayers? I didn't
know you were so religiously inclined."
"I'm not religiously inclined; but, of course, one has to teach a
child to say his prayers."
"Oh, I don't object to religion," Mr. Pryor assured her; "in fact, I
like it--"
"In other people?" she interrupted gayly.
"Well, yes; in other people. At any rate in your charming sex. Alice
is very religious. And I like it very much. In fact, I have a good
deal of feeling about it. I wouldn't do anything to--to shock her, you
know. I really am perfectly sincere about that, Helena."
He was sincere; he looked at her with an anxiety that for once was
quite simple.
"That's why I wrote you as I did about the future. I am greatly
embarrassed about Alice."
She caught her breath at the suddenness of his reference, but she knew
him well enough not to be much surprised. If a disagreeable topic was
to be discussed, the sooner it was taken up and disposed of, the
better. That was Lloyd's way.
"Of course," he went on, "if Alice knew of our--ah, acquaintance, it
would shock her. It would shock her very much." He paused. "Alice's
great charm is her absolute innocence," he added thoughtfully.
That comment was like a blow in the face. Helena caught her breath
with the shock of it. But she could not stop to analyze its peculiar
terror. "Alice needn't know," she began--but he made an impatient
gesture.
"If we married, it would certainly come out."
He was standing with his back to the fire, one hand in his pocket, the
other holding his cigar; he blew three smoke rings, and smiled. "Will
you let me off, Nelly?"
"I know you don't love me," she broke out passionately-"Oh, now, Helena, not a scene, please! My dear, I love you as much as
ever. You are a charming woman, and I greatly value your friendship.
But I can love you just as much, not to say more, if you are here in
your own house in Old Chester, instead of being in my house in
Philadelphia. Why, it would be like sitting on a volcano!"