"Oh, I sha'n't go with her. As long as a girl has got anything at all to
live for, she doesn't want that. Besides I'd rather go to the East River."

"Drowning's a serious matter," said Howard with a smile and with banter in
his tone.

"Yes, it is," said the girl seriously, "I've thought of it. And I don't
believe I could."

"Then you'd better go with your friend and get married."

"I don't want to get married," she replied, shaking her head slowly from
side to side.

"That's what all the girls say," laughed Howard. "But of course you will.
It's the only thing to do."

"Then why don't you get married?" asked Alice, tracing one of the flowers
in her wrapper with her slim, brown forefinger.

"I couldn't if I would and I wouldn't if I could."

"Oh, you could get a nice girl to marry you, I'm sure," she said, the
colour rising faintly toward her long, downcast lashes.

"But who would get the money? It takes money to keep a nice girl."

"Oh, not much," said Alice earnestly, yet with a queer hesitation in her
voice. "You oughtn't to marry those extravagant girls. I've read about them