you most particularly before the rest of the family comes down."

"You are a singularly beautiful woman," observed Darrow in a detached
manner, as he disposed his long form gracefully in the opposite armchair.

The girl looked at him sharply.

"That is intended as an excuse or explanation--not in the least as a
compliment," Darrow went on.

"You would not be so obliging, if I were not--beautiful?" shot back the
girl. "That is indeed not complimentary!"

"I should be exactly as obliging," amended Darrow lazily, "but I should
not feel so generally satisfied and pleased and rewarded in advance. I
should have more of a feeling of virtue, and less of one of pleasure."

"I see," said the girl, her brows still level. "Then I suppose you are
not interested in what I might ask you as one human being to another!"

"Pardon me, Helen," interrupted Darrow, with unusual decision. "That is
just what I am interested in--you as a human being, a delicious,
beautiful, feminine, human being who could mean half the created
universe to a lucky man."

"But not the whole--"

"No, not the whole," mused Darrow, relaxing to his old indolent attitude.
"You see," he roused himself to explain, "I am a scientist, for instance.
You could not be a scientist; you have not the training."