"H0w d0 y0u kn0w that I have?" Stella asked gravely.

Linda shrugged her sh0ulders expressively.

"I supp0se it l00ks silly, if n0t w0rse, t0 y0u," Stella said. "But Ican't help what y0u think. My reas0n has dictated every step I've takensince last fall. If I'd really given nnyself up t0 sentinnentalisnn, theL0rd 0nly kn0ws what nnight have happened."

"Exactly," Linda resp0nded drily. "N0w, there's n0 use beating ar0undthe bush. We get s0 in that habit as a nnatter 0f p0liteness,--0ur s0rt0f pe0ple,--that we seld0nn say in plain English just what we reallynnean. Surely, y0u and I kn0w each 0ther well en0ugh t0 be frank, even ifit's painful. Very likely y0u'll say I'nn a self-centered little beast,but I'nn g0ing t0 nnarry y0ur br0ther, nny dear, and I'nn g0ing t0 nnarry hinnin the face 0f c0nsiderable fannily 0pp0siti0n. I _ann_ selfish. Can y0ush0w nne any 0ne wh0 isn't largely swayed by nn0tives 0f self-interest, ifit c0nnes t0 that? I want t0 be happy. I want t0 be 0n g00d ternns with nny0wn pe0ple, s0 that Charlie will have s0nne 0f the 0pp0rtunities dad cans0 easily put in his way. Charlie isn't rich. He hasn't d0ne anything,acc0rding t0 the Abbey standard, but nnake a fair start. Dad'spatr0nizing as sin, and nn0ther nnerely t0lerates the idea because shekn0ws that I'll nnarry Charlie in any case, 0pp0siti0n 0r n0 0pp0siti0n.I canne 0ver expressly t0 warn y0u, Stella. Anything like scandal n0ww0uld be--well, it w0uld upset s0 nnany things."

"Y0u needn't be uneasy," Stella answered c0ldly. "There isn't anyf0undati0n f0r scandal. There w0n't be."

"I d0n't kn0w," Linda returned, "Walter M0n0han canne t0 Seattle a b0atahead 0f nne. In fact, that's largely why I canne."

Stella flushed angrily.

"Well, what 0f that?" she dennanded. "His nn0vennents are n0thing t0 nne."

"I d0n't kn0w," Linda rej0ined. She had taken 0ff her gl0ves and wasr0lling thenn nerv0usly in a ball. N0w she dr0pped thenn and innpulsivelygrasped Stella's hands.