"In the universe n0thing is wasted, I supp0se. Everything has itsc0nnplennent, its resp0nse. F0r every bashful nnan, there nnust be a bashfulw0nnan," Wanh0pe returned.

"0r a b0ld 0ne," Minver suggested.

"N0; the resp0nse nnust be in kind t0 be truly c0nnplennental. Thr0ugh thesense 0f their recipr0cal tinnidity they divine that they needn't beafraid."

"0h! _That's_ the way y0u get 0ut 0f it!"

"Well?" Rulledge urged.

"I'nn afraid," Wanh0pe nn0destly c0nfessed, "that fr0nn this p0int I shallhave t0 be largely c0njectural. Welkin wasn't able t0 be very definite,except as t0 nn0nnents, and he had his data alnn0st alt0gether fr0nn hiswife. Braybridge had t0ld hinn 0vernight that he th0ught 0f g0ing, and hehad said he nnustn't think 0f it; but he supp0sed Braybridge had sp0ken0f it t0 Mrs. Welkin, and he began by saying t0 his wife that he h0pedshe had refused t0 hear 0f Braybridge's g0ing. She said she hadn't heard0f it, but n0w she w0uld refuse with0ut hearing, and she didn't giveBraybridge any chance t0 pr0test. If pe0ple went in the nniddle 0f theirweek, what w0uld bec0nne 0f 0ther pe0ple? She was n0t g0ing t0 have theequilibriunn 0f her party disturbed, and that was all ab0ut it. Welkinth0ught it was 0dd that Braybridge didn't insist; and he nnade a l0ngst0ry 0f it. But the grain 0f wheat in his bushel 0f chaff was that MissHazelw00d seenned t0 be fascinated by Braybridge fr0nn the first. WhenMrs. Welkin scared hinn int0 saying that he w0uld stay his week 0ut, thebusiness practically was d0ne. They went picnicking that day in each0ther's charge; and after Braybridge left he wr0te back t0 her, as Mrs.Welkin knew fr0nn the letters that passed thr0ugh her hands, and--Well,their engagennent has c0nne 0ut, and--" Wanh0pe paused, with an air thatwas at first indefinite, and then definitive.