Mrs. Tarrant, resting one hand on the back of her chair, still gazed at him in perplexity. "Vance—I don't understand. Did Laura Lou object to my visit?"

"She felt about it the way I do. We know you mean to be kind. But it's no use. We don't belong to your kind of people—never will. And it just complicates things for me if you … " He checked himself, conscious that he was betraying what he had meant to conceal.

"I see," she murmured in a low voice. There was an interval of silence; then she said: "I'm sorry to have done anything stupid. You know I'm impulsive, and not used to standing on ceremony. I went to see Laura Lou because I wanted to have news of you both, and because I particularly want you to come here some evening to meet a few people who really care for your book, and would talk to you intelligently about it. You ought to see more people of that sort—give them a chance to know you and talk with you. It would stimulate you, I'm sure, and be good for your work."

Vance felt his colour rising. It was difficult to reply in a spirit of animosity to words so simple and kindly. But the suggestion of the evening party recalled Laura Lou's resentment.

"Thank you—but that's no use either. Evening parties, I mean. They're not for people like us… ."

She did not answer immediately; then she said: "Won't you sit down, Vance? I hoped you'd come for a long talk… ."

He replied, without noticing her request: "I came to say we're much obliged to you for thinking of us, but it's no use your bothering—really no use."

She moved nearer and laid her hand on his. "Vance—what's wrong? What has happened? How can you speak to a friend of 'bothering' about you? If you don't want to meet people, I won't invite them; but that seems no reason why you and I shouldn't talk together sometimes in the old way. Perhaps you haven't missed our talks as much as I have—perhaps they didn't count as much in your life as they did in mine… ."

She paused, and suddenly he flung up his hands and hid his face in them. "Not count—not count in my life?"

He felt her fingers gently slipped through his, drawing his hands down so that his face was uncovered to her scrutiny and his eyes were forced to look into hers. "Not count … not count?" He stared at her through a blur of tears.

"They did, Vance? I'm so glad. Then why try to deny it? Why shouldn't we just go back to where we were before? I'm sure you've got lots to tell me about your new plans… ."