And I've tried so hard--to do something, something for the world! Oh, can a woman--can she, ever ?" For once shaken, she dropped her face an instant in her hands, he standing by, mute, and suffering much as herself at seeing her thus suffer.
"But now," she continued after a time, "-- I want to ask you whether I've been ungenerous or vindictive with you--" "Vindictive?
You?
Never! But why should you be ?" "Captain," she said easily, "my lieutenant, my friend, let me say--I will not be specific--I will not mention names or dates; but do you think, if you were a woman, you could ever marry a man who once, behind your back, with not even eagerness to incite him, but coolly, deliberately--had played a game of cards for--you ?" He stiffened as though shot.

"I know.

But you misunderstand.

I did not play for you.

I played to relieve a situation--because I thought you wished--because it seemed the solution of a situation hard for both of us.