years ago.  Since then I’ve met other girls, and some of them have run after me because I was a sailorman.  They do, you know.  You’re the girl I love; and I want you to remember that I was a kid when I got married.  That’s the tale, Jenny; and every word of it’s true.  And now what d’you think of it?  Are you afraid of me now?  Don’t you think I’m a bit of a fool?  Or d’you think I’m the sort of fellow that fools the girls?”

There was no reply to his question for a long time; until Keith urged her afresh.

“What I’m wondering,” said Jenny, in a slow and rather puzzled way, “is, what you’d think of me if I’d lived with three different men.  Because I’m twenty-five, you know.”

iv

It might have checked Keith in mid-career.  His tone had certainly not been one of apology.  But along with a natural complacency he had the honesty that sometimes accompanies success in affairs.

“Well,” he said frankly, “I shouldn’t like it, Jen.”

“How d’you think I like it?”

“D’you love me?  Jenny, dear!”

“I don’t know.  I don’t see why you should be different.”

“Nor do I. I am, though.  I wish I wasn’t.  Can you see that?  Have you ever wished you weren’t yourself!  Of course you have.  So have I. Have you had men running after you all the time?  Have you been free night and day, with time on your hands, and temptations going.  You haven’t.  You don’t know what it is.  You’ve been at home.  And what’s more, you’ve been tied up because...because people think girls are safer if they’re tied up.”

“Men do!” flashed Jenny.  “They like to have it all to themselves.”

“Well, if you’d ever been on your own for days together, and thinking as much about women as all young men do ...”

“I wonder if I should boast of it,” Jenny said drily.  “To a girl I was pretending to love.”

Keith let his arm drop from her waist.  He withdrew it, and sighed.  Then he moved forward upon the settee, half rising, with his hands upon his knees.

“Ah well, Jenny:  perhaps I’d better be taking you ashore,” he said in a constrained, exasperated tone.

“You don’t care if you break my heart,” Jenny whispered.  “It’s all one to you.”

“That’s simply not true....  But it’s no good discussing it.”  He had lost his temper, and was full of impatience.  He sat frowning, disliking her, with resentment and momentary aversion plainly to be seen in his bearing.

“Just because I don’t agree that it’s mighty kind of you to ... condescend!” Jenny was choking.  “You thought I should jump for joy because other women had had you.  I don’t know what sort of girl you thought I was.”

“Well, I thought ...  I thought you were fond of me,” Keith slowly said, making an effort to speak coldly.  “That was what I thought.”

“Thought I’d stand anything!” she corrected.  “And fall on your neck into the bargain.”