"Do you find it pleasant, then, to be candid and free with some one?....
Why with me?" She looked him frankly in the eyes.

"Well, to be more candid. You and I know the world very well, I fancy.
You were educated in Europe, travelled, enjoyed--and suffered." The girl
did not even blink, but went on looking at him steadily. "We have both
had our hour with the world; have learned many sides of the game. We
haven't come out of it without scars of one kind or another. Knowledge
of the kind is expensive."

"You wanted to say all that to me the first evening we met, didn't you?"
There was a smile of gentle amusement on her face.

"I did. From the moment I saw you I knew that we could say many things
to each other 'without pre liminaries.' To be able to do that is a great
deal."

"It is a relief to say things, isn't it?"

"It is better than writing them, though that is pleasant, after its
kind."

"I have never tried writing--as we talk. There's a good deal of vanity
at the bottom of it though, I believe."

"Of course. But vanity is a kind of virtue, too." He leaned over
towards her, dropping his arms on his knees and holding her look.
"I am very glad that I met you. I intended only staying here over night,
but--"