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step in and win from under his very nose what
might have been his if he had but known his own
mind before it was too late！
But was it； after all； quite too late？ He and
Alice were old friends。 Away back in their young
days in their native town they had been； indeed；
almost sweethearts； in a boy…and…girl fashion。
It would not have taken much in those days； he
believed； to have made the relationship more
interesting。 But changes had come。 Alice had
left town； and for years they had drifted apart。
Then had come Billy； and Billy had found Alice；
thus bringing about the odd circumstance of their
renewing of acquaintanceship。 Perhaps； at that
time； if he had not already thought he cared for
Billy； there would have been something more
than acquaintanceship。
But he _had_ thought he cared for Billy all these
years； and now； at this late day； to wake up and
find that he cared for Alice！ A pretty mess he
had made of things！ Was he so inconstant then；
so fickle？ Did he not know his own mind five
minutes at a time？ What would Alice Greggory
think； even if he found the courage to tell her？
What could she think？ What could anybody
think？
Arkwright fairly ground his teeth in impotent
wrathand he did not know whether he were
the most angry that he did not love Billy； or that
he had loved Billy； or that he loved somebody else
now。
It was while he was in this unenviable frame of
mind that he went to see Alice。 Not that he had
planned definitely to speak to her of his discovery；
nor yet that he had planned not to。 He had；
indeed； planned nothing。 For a man usually so
decided as to purpose and energetic as to action；
he was in a most unhappy state of uncertainty
and changeableness。 One thing only was unmistakably
clear to him； and that was that he must
see Alice。
For months； now； he had taken to Alice all his
hopes and griefs； perplexities and problems； and
never had he failed to find comfort in the shape
of sympathetic understanding and wise counsel。
To Alice； therefore； now he turned as a matter of
course； telling himself vaguely that； perhaps；
after he had seen Alice； he would feel better。
Just how intimately this particular problem of
his concerned Alice herself； he did not stop to
realize。 He did not； indeed； think of it at all from
Alice's standpointuntil he came face to face
with the girl in the living…room at the Annex。
Then； suddenly； he did。 His manner became at
once； consequently； full of embarrassment and
quite devoid of its usual frank friendliness。
As it happened； this was perhaps the most
unfortunate thing that could have occurred； so far
as it concerned the attitude of Alice Greggory；
for thereby innumerable tiny sparks of suspicion
that had been tormenting the girl for days were
instantly fanned into consuming flames of conviction。
Alice had not been slow to note Arkwright's
prolonged absence from the Annex。 Coming as
it did so soon after her most disconcerting talk
with Billy in regard to her own relations with
him； it had filled her with frightened questionings。
If Billy had seen things to make her think of
linking their names together； perhaps Arkwright
himself had heard some such idea put forth
somewhere； and that was why he was staying
awayto show the world that there was no
foundation for such rumors。 Perhaps he was
even doing it to show _her_ that
Even in her thoughts Alice could scarcely
bring herself to finish the sentence。 That Arkwright
should ever suspect for a moment that
she cared for him was intolerable。 Painfully
conscious as she was that she did care for him；
it was easy to fear that others must be conscious
of it； too。 Had she not already proof that Billy
suspected it？ Why； then； might not it be quite
possible； even probable； that Arkwright suspected
it； also； and； because he did suspect it； had
decided that it would be just as well； perhaps； if
he did not call so often。
In spite of Alice's angry insistence to herself
that； after all； this could not be the case
that the man _knew_ she understood he still loved
Billyshe could not help fearing； in the face
of Arkwright's unusual absence； that it might
yet be true。 When； therefore； he finally did
appear； only to become at once obviously embarrassed
in her presence； her fears instantly became
convictions。 It was true； then。 The man
did believe she cared for him； and he had been
trying to teach herto save her。
To teach her！ To save her； indeed！ Very
well； he should see！ And forthwith； from that
moment； Alice Greggory's chief reason for living
became to prove to Mr。 M。 J。 Arkwright that
he needed not to teach her； to save her； nor yet
to sympathize with her。
‘‘How do you do？'' she greeted him； with a
particularly bright smile。 ‘‘I'm sure I _hope_ you
are well； such a beautiful day as this。''
‘‘Oh； yes； I'm well； I suppose。 Still； I have
felt better in my life；'' smiled Arkwright； with
some constraint。
‘‘Oh； I'm sorry；'' murmured the girl； striving
so hard to speak with impersonal unconcern that
she did not notice the inaptness of her reply。
‘‘Eh？ Sorry I've felt better； are you？''
retorted Arkwright； with nervous humor。 Then；
because he was embarrassed； he said the one
thing he had meant not to say： ‘‘Don't you think
I'm quite a stranger？ It's been some time since
I've been here。''
Alice； smarting under the sting of what she
judged to be the only possible cause for his
embarrassment； leaped to this new opportunity to
show her lack of interest。
‘‘Oh； has it？'' she murmured carelessly。
‘‘Well； I don't know but it has； now that I come
to think of it。''
Arkwright frowned gloomily。 A week ago he
would have tossed back a laughingly aggrieved
remark as to her unflattering indifference to his
presence。 Now he was in no mood for such
joking。 It was too serious a matter with him。
‘‘You've been busy； no doubt； withother
matters；'' he presumed forlornly； thinking of
Calderwell。
‘‘Yes； I have been busy；'' assented the girl。
‘‘One is always happier； I think； to be busy。
Not that I meant that I needed the work to _be_
happy；'' she added hastily； in a panic lest he
think she had a consuming sorrow to kill。
‘‘No； of course not；'' he murmured abstractedly；
rising to his feet and crossing the room to
the piano。 Then； with an elaborate air of trying
to appear very natural； he asked jovially：
‘‘Anything new to play to me？''
Alice arose at once。
‘‘Yes。 I have a little nocturne that I was
playing to Mr。 Calderwell last night。''
‘‘Oh； to Calderwell！'' Arkwright had stiffened
perceptibly。
‘‘Yes。 _He_ didn't like it。 I'll play it to you
and see what you say；'' she smiled； seating herself
at the piano。
‘‘Well； if he had liked it； it's safe to say I
shouldn't；'' shrugged Arkwright。
‘‘Nonse