But he could never be long with her without trying to find a reason for what she was doing, and as she replaced his first edition of La Bruyere and turned away from the bookcases, he began to ask himself what she had been driving at.

Her next question was not of a nature to enlighten him.

She paused before him with a smile which seemed at once designed to admit him to her familiarity, and to remind him of the restrictions it imposed.
"Don't you ever mind," she asked suddenly, "not being rich enough to buy all the books you want ?" He followed her glance about the room, with its worn furniture and shabby walls.
"Don't I just?
Do you take me for a saint on a pillar ?" "And having to work--do you mind that ?" "Oh, the work itself is not so bad--I'm rather fond of the law." "No; but the being tied down: the routine--don't you ever want to get away, to see new places and people ?" "Horribly--especially when I see all my friends rushing to the steamer." She drew a sympathetic breath.

"But do you mind enough--to marry to get out of it ?" Selden broke into a laugh.

"God forbid!" he declared.
She rose with a sigh, tossing her cigarette into the grate.
"Ah, there's the difference--a girl must, a man may if he chooses." She surveyed him critically.