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Cavendish divided her days between the river and one of the West End
theatres。 She was playing a small part in a farce…comedy。
One day she came up from Cookham earlier than usual； looking very
beautiful in a white boating frock and a straw hat with a Leander ribbon。
Her hands and arms were hard with dragging a punting pole and she was
sunburnt and happy； and hungry for tea。
〃Why don't you come down to Cookham and get out of this heat？〃
Miss Cavendish asked。 〃You need it； you look ill。〃
〃I'd like to； but I can't；〃 said Carroll。 〃The fact is； I paid in advance
for these rooms； and if I lived anywhere else I'd be losing five guineas a
week on them。〃
Miss Cavendish regarded him severely。 She had never quite
mastered his American humor。
〃But five guineaswhy that's nothing to you；〃 she said。 Something in
the lodger's face made her pause。 〃You don't mean〃
〃Yes； I do；〃 said the lodger； smiling。 〃You see； I started in to lay
siege to London without sufficient ammunition。 London is a large town；
and it didn't fall as quickly as I thought it would。 So I am economizing。
Mr。 Lockhart's Coffee Rooms and I are no longer strangers。〃
Miss Cavendish put down her cup of tea untasted and leaned toward
him
〃Are you in earnest？〃 she asked。 〃For how long？〃
〃Oh； for the last month；〃 replied the lodger； 〃they are not at all bad
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clean and wholesome and all that。〃
〃But the suppers you gave us； and this；〃 she cried； suddenly； waving
her hands over the pretty tea…things； 〃and the cake and muffins？〃
〃My friends； at least；〃 said Carroll； 〃need not go to Lockhart's。〃
〃And the Savoy？〃 asked Miss Cavendish； mournfully shaking her
head。
〃A dream of the past；〃 said Carroll； waving his pipe through the smoke。
〃Gatti's？ Yes； on special occasions； but for necessity； the Chancellor's；
where one gets a piece of the prime roast beef of Old England； from
Chicago； and potatoes for ninepencea pot of bitter twopence…halfpenny；
and a penny for the waiter。 It's most amusing on the whole。 I am
learning a little about London； and some things about myself。 They are
both most interesting subjects。〃
〃Well； I don't like it；〃 Miss Cavendish declared helplessly。 〃When I
think of those suppers and the flowers； I feelI feel like a robber。〃
〃Don't；〃 begged Carroll。 〃I am really the most happy of men that is；
as the chap says in the play； I would be if I wasn't so damned miserable。
But I owe no man a penny and I have assetsI have L*80 to last me
through the winter and two marvellous plays； and I love； next to yourself；
the most wonderful woman God ever made。 That's enough。〃
〃But I thought you made such a lot of money by writing？〃 asked Miss
Cavendish。
〃I dothat is； I could；〃 answered Carroll； 〃if I wrote the things that sell；
but I keep on writing plays that won't。〃
〃And such plays！〃 exclaimed Marion； warmly； 〃and to think that they
are going begging。〃 She continued indignantly； 〃I can't imagine what the
managers do want。〃
〃I know what they don't want；〃 said the American。 Miss Cavendish
drummed impatiently on the tea…tray。
〃I wish you wouldn't be so abject about it；〃 she said。 〃If I were a man
I'd make them take those plays。〃
〃How？〃 asked the American； 〃with a gun？〃
〃Well； I'd keep at it until they read them；〃 declared Marion。 〃I'd sit
on their front steps all night and I'd follow them in cabs； and I'd lie in wait
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for them at the stage…door。 I'd just make them take them。〃
Carroll sighed and stared at the ceiling。 〃I guess I'll give up and go
home；〃 he said。
〃Oh； yes； do； run away before you are beaten；〃 said Miss Cavendish；
scornfully。 〃Why； you can't go now。 Everybody will be back in town
soon； and there are a lot of new plays coming on； and some of them are
sure to be failures； and that's our chance。 You rush in with your piece
and somebody may take it sooner than close the theatre。〃
〃I'm thinking of closing the theatre myself；〃 said Carroll。 〃What's the
use of my hanging on here？〃 he exclaimed。 〃It distresses Helen to know
I am in London； feeling about her as I doand the Lord only knows how it
distresses me。 And； maybe； if I went away；〃 he said； consciously； 〃she
might miss me。 She might see the difference。〃
Miss Cavendish held herself erect and pressed her lips together with a
severe smile。 〃If Helen Cabot doesn't see the difference between you and
the other men she knows now；〃 she said； 〃I doubt if she ever will。
Besides〃 she continued； and then hesitated。 〃Well； go on；〃 urged
Carroll。
〃Well； I was only going to say；〃 she explained； 〃that leaving the girl
alone never did the man any good unless he left her alone willingly。 If
she's sure he still cares； it's just the same to her where he is。 He might as
well stay on in London as go to South Africa。 It won't help him any。
The difference comes when she finds he has stopped caring。 Why； look
at Reggie。 He tried that。 He went away for ever so long； but he kept
writing me from wherever he went； so that he was perfectly miserable
and I went on enjoying myself。 Then when he came back； he tried going
about with his old friends again。 He used to come to the theatre with
themoh； with such nice girlsbut he always stood in the back of the box
and yawned and scowledso I knew。 And； anyway； he'd always spoil it
all by leaving them and waiting at the stage entrance for me。 But one day
he got tired of the way I treated him and went off on a bicycle tour with
Lady Hacksher's girls and some men from his regiment； and he was gone
three weeks and never sent me even a line； and I got so scared； I couldn't
sleep； and I stood it for three days more； and then I wired him to come
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back or I'd jump off London Bridge； and he came back that very night
from Edinburgh on the express； and I was so glad to see him that I got
confused； and in the general excitement I promised to marry him； so that's
how it was with us。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the American； without enthusiasm； 〃but then I still care；
and Helen knows I care。〃
〃Doesn't she ever fancy that you might care for some one else？ You
have a lot of friends； you know。〃
〃Yes； but she knows they are just thatfriends；〃 said the American。
Miss Cavendish stood up to go； and arranged her veil before the mirror
above the fireplace。
〃I come here very often to tea；〃 she said。
〃It's very kind of you；〃 said Carroll。 He was at the open window；
looking down into the street for a cab。
〃Well； no one knows I am engaged to Reggie；〃 continued Miss
Cavendish； 〃except you and Reggie； and he isn't so sure。 SHE doesn't
know it。〃
〃Well？〃 said Carroll。
Miss Cavendish smiled a mischievous kindly smile at him from the
mirror。
〃Well？〃 she repeated； mockingly。 Carroll stared at her and laughed。
After a pause he said： 〃It's like a plot in a comedy。 But I'm afraid I'm
too serious for play…acting。〃
〃Yes； it is serious；〃 said Miss Cavendish。 She seated herself again
and regarded the American thoughtfully。 〃You are too good a man to be
treated the way that girl is treating you； and no one knows it better than
she does。 She'll change in time； but just now she thinks she wants to be
independent。 She's in love with this picture…painting idea； and with the
people she meets。 It's all new to herthe fuss they make over her and the
titles； and the way she is asked about。 We know she can't paint。 We
know they only give her commis