said, "or you never would have proposed marriage to her. You would never
have been engaged to her. You never would have felt so badly when she--"

"Oh, say it out," said George, "jilted me, that is the word."

"No, that is not the phrase I wanted to use. She didn't really jilt you,
you know. It was because you didn't have, or thought you didn't have,
money enough. She would like to be married to you to-day."

George shuddered.

"I wish," he said, "that you wouldn't mar a perfect day by a horrible
suggestion."

"The suggestion would not have been so horrible a month ago."

"My dear girl," said Morris, rousing himself up, "it's a subject that I
do not care much to talk about, but all young men, or reasonably young
men, make mistakes in their lives. That was my mistake. My great luck
was that it was discovered in time. As a general thing, affairs in this
world are admirably planned, but it does seem to me a great mistake that
young people have to choose companions for life at an age when they
really haven't the judgment to choose a house and lot. Now, confess
yourself, I am not your first lover, am I?"

Miss Earle looked at him for a moment before replying.

"You remember," she said, "that once you spoke of not having to
incriminate yourself. You refused to answer a question I asked you on
that ground. Now, I think this is a case in which I would be quite