He paused, finally.

Marion was singing.

"Give me your love for a day;

A night; an hour.

If the wages of sin are Death

I'm willing to pay."

She sang it in her clear passionless voice. Brave words, Clayton

thought, but there were few who would pay such wages. This girl at the

piano, what did she know of the thing she sang about? What did any of

the young know?

They always construed love in terms of passion. But passion was

ephemeral. Love lived on. Passion took, but love gave.

He roused himself.

"Have you told Marion about the new arrangement?"

"I didn't know whether you cared to have it told."

"Don't you think she ought to know? If she intends to enter the family,

she has a right to know that she is not marrying into great wealth. I

don't suggest," he added, as Graham colored hotly, "that it will make

any difference. I merely feel she ought to know your circumstances."

He was called to the telephone, and when he came back he found them in

earnest conversation. The girl turned toward him smiling.

"Graham has just told me. You are splendid, Mr. Spencer."

And afterward Clayton was forced to admit an element of sincerity in

her voice. She had had a disappointment, but she was very game. Her

admiration surprised him. He was nearer to liking her than he had ever

been.

Even her succeeding words did not quite kill his admiration for her.

"And I have told Graham that he must not let you make all the

sacrifices. Of course he is going to enlist."

She had turned her defeat into a triumph against Natalie. Clayton knew

then that she would never marry Graham. As she went out he followed her

with a faint smile of tribute.

The smile died as he turned to go up the stairs.

Natalie was in her dressing-room. She had not undressed, but was

standing by a window. She made no sign that she heard him enter, and he

hesitated. Why try to talk things out with her? Why hurt her? Why not

let things drift along? There was no hope of bettering them. One of

two things he must do, either tear open the situation between them, or

ignore it.

"Can I get anything for your head, my dear?"

"I haven't any headache."

"Then I think I'll go to bed. I didn't sleep much last night."

He was going out when she spoke again.

"I came up-stairs because I saw how things were going."




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