She has had some deep, sad experience, which she is
hiding from all. From what Mrs. Wendall said at the funeral yesterday,
Madge must have revealed more of it to that dying girl than to any
one else. How my heart thrilled at those strange whispered words! How
dearly I would love to help her and bring unalloyed happiness into her
life! But whatever it was referred to I cannot touch upon till she
of her own accord gives me her confidence. Could she have formed what
promises to be a hopeless love in her Western home, and is she now
hiding a wound that will not heal, while bravely and cheerfully facing
life as it is? Perhaps her purpose to return to Santa Barbara proves
that she does not regard her love as utterly hopeless. Well, whatever
the truth may be, she hides her secret with consummate skill, and I
shall not pry into even her affairs. I only know that as I feel now I
should prize her friendship above any other woman's love."
"What are you thinking of so deeply?" she asked, meeting his eyes.
"My thought just then was that I should prize your friendship above
any other woman's love, and I had been felicitating myself that Stella
Wildmere would never have the right to criticise the fact."
"Oh, Graydon, what a man of moods and tenses you are!" Then she added,
laughing, "There has been indeed a kaleidoscopic turn in affairs.
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