would better understand each other.

"No," she answered. "If I must be candid, I am not astonished." Then the
color crept into her cheeks as she met his gaze. "I suppose it is an
honor; and it is undoubtedly a--temptation."

"A temptation?"

"Yes," said Evelyn, mustering her courage to face a crisis she had
dreaded. "It is only due you that you should hear the truth--though I
think you suspect it. Besides--I have some liking for you."

"That is what I wanted you to own!" Vane broke in.

She checked him with a gesture. Her manner was cold, and yet there was
something in it that stirred him more than her beauty.

"After all," she explained, "it does not go very far, and you must try to
understand. I want to be quite honest, and what I have to say
is--difficult. In the first place, things are far from pleasant for me
here; I was expected to make a good marriage, and I had my chance in
London. I refused to profit by it, and now I'm a failure. I wonder
whether you can realize what a temptation it is to get away?"

Vane frowned.

"Yes," he responded. "It makes me savage to think of it! I can, at least,
take you out of all this. If you hadn't had a very fine courage, you
wouldn't have told me."