"I don't think I can do that," she said slowly; and then added, "I don't know." "Well," he said, "I'll enter my protest against the foolishness of doing it this way by refusing to post the letter." Mr.Ticke was tremendously in earnest, and threw it dramatically upon the table.

"You may be a George Eliot or a--an Elizabeth Barrett Browning, but in these days you want every advantage, Miss Bell, and women who succeed understand that." Elfrida's face was still enigmatic, so enigmatic that Mr.Ticke felt reluctantly constrained to stop.

"I must pursue the even tenor of my way," he said airily, looking at his watch.

"I've an engagement to lunch at one.

_Don't_ ask me to post that article, Miss Bell.