"Don't frown that way. It makes wrinkles; and what's more
unsightly than a wrinkled brow in a woman?"

"I don't in the least care," replied the girl. "I've made up my
mind to stop fooling and marry."

"Jackie?"

"If I can't do better." She laughed a low, sweet laugh, like her
voice; and her voice suggested a leisurely brook flitting among
mossy stones. "You see, I've lost that first bloom of youth the
wife-pickers prize so highly. I'm not unsophisticated enough to
please them. And I haven't money enough to make them overlook such
defects as maturity and intelligence--in fact, I've no money at
all."

"You were never so good-looking in your life," said Grant. "I
recall you were rather homely as a child and merely nice and
fresh-looking when you came out. You're one of those that improve
with time."

"Thanks," said the girl dryly. She was in no mood for the barren
blossom of non-marrying men's compliments.

"The trouble with you is the same as with me," pursued he. "We've
both spent our time with the young married set, where marriage is
regarded as a rather stupid joke. You ought to have stuck to the
market-place until your business was settled."

She nodded a thoughtful assent. "Yes, that was my sad mistake,"