worst. I have fallen utterly and hopelessly in love with her. I am at
your mercy."

This beginning was not quite what Katherine had expected. In his
confident way he had taken matters out of her hands. She had not
anticipated a down-right confession. She felt conscious of a little dull
and wholly reprehensible ache at her heart. She sighed.

"Aren't you pleased, Katherine?" he asked with a man's selfishness.

"I suppose I must be--for your sake. But I must also sigh a little. I
knew you would be falling in love sooner or later--only I hoped it would
be later. But _que veux-tu?_ It is the doom of all such friendships."

"I don't see anything like a doom about it, my dear," said he. "The
friendship will continue. Viviette loves you dearly."

She took up a peach from a dish to her hand, regarded it for a moment,
absent-mindedly, and delicately replaced it.

"Our friendship will continue, of course. But the particular essence of
it, the little sentimentality of ownership, will be gone, won't it?"

Austin rose and bent over Katherine's chair in some concern. "You're not
distressed, Katherine?"

"Oh, no. You have been such a kind, loyal friend to me during a very
dark and lonely time--brought sunshine into my life when I needed it
most--that I should be a wicked woman if I didn't rejoice at your
happiness. And we have been nothing more than friends."