Goaded at last by her delicate but determined insinuations, Courtland told her.  Yes, he had had offers; one in particular that was a fine thing from a worldly point of view, but he didn’t intend to take it.  It did not fit with his ideal of life.  There were things about it that were not square.  He wasn’t quite sure how his his own plans were going to work out yet.  He must have a talk with his father first.  Possibly he would study awhile longer somewhere.

Gila frowned.  She had no idea of letting him do that.  She wanted him to get into something big right away, so that she might begin her career.  So that was what had been standing in his way!  Study!  How stupid!  No, indeed!  She wanted no scholar for a husband, who would bore her with horrid old dull books and lectures and never want to go anywhere with her!  She must switch him away from this idea at once!  She returned to the rejected business proposition with zeal and avidity.  What was it?  What did it involve?  What were its future possibilities?  Great!  What on earth could he find in that to object to?  How ridiculous!  How long ago had that been offered to him?  Was it too late to accept?  What?  He had had the offer repeated even more flatteringly that very day?  Where was the letter?  Would he let her see it?

She bent over Uncle Ramsey’s brusque sentences with a hidden smile of triumph and pretended to be surprised.

“How perfectly wonderful!  All that responsibility and all those chances to get to the top!  Even a hint of Washington!”

She dimpled and opened her great eyes imploringly at him.  She pictured herself in glowing terms going with him and holding court among the great of the land!  She wheedled and coaxed and all but commanded, while he sat and watched her sadly, realizing how well fitted she was for the things she was describing and how she loved them all!

     So shall we be separated, I and my people, from all the
     people that are upon the face of the earth!

He started upright!  It was as if a Voice had spoken the words, those strange words from the Bible!  Was this then what they meant?  Separation!  But Gila was “his people” now.  Was she not one day to be his wife?  He must explain it all to her.  He must let her know that he had chosen a way of separation that forbade the paths wherein she was longing to wander.  Would she shrink and wish to turn back?  Nevertheless, he must make it plain to her.

Gently, quietly, he tried to make her understand.  He told her of the visit of Ramsey Thomas and his own decision in the winter.  He told her of the factory that was built to blind the eyes of those who were trying to uplift and help men.  He tried to make conditions plain where girls as young as she, and with just such hopes and fears and ambitions, perhaps in some cases just as much sweetness and native beauty as she had, were obliged to spend long hours of toil amid surroundings that must crush the life out of