The engagement was broken.  She was mad, and he was mad, and each thought the other would make the first advance to own up and make up; but before it could be done a young person appeared and distracted temporarily the attention of the man, and the girl went away to see what she could do.  The man repaired the damage done unto him by saying pretty things to the new person, which was good for his pride and kept him in practice, and all was going well when the first maiden returned with a new possession.

The new possession was a son of great wealth, but the Faithless One was made to understand, without words, that his Cruelty was driving the Maid to Marriage with another, and his Vanity was appeased, and in his heart he rejoiced and said unto himself:  “It is even as I thought, and that piece of punk she has brought back is bitter unto her, and in comparison to me he is nothingness indeed.  And I would arise and punch his head if it were not for the New Person who may love me very much.”  And the young man was sorrowful when he thought on these things and yet glad also, for the heart of man is receptive to the love of all kinds of women, and it is pleasing unto him to believe he is pleasing unto them.

And seeing that which had come to pass, the New Young Person made up her mind that the Young Man and the Young Maid who had once loved must love again, and in her heart she said it is a vain thing to believe in the words of a man.  They cometh out as cometh breath, then pass away and are remembered by him no more.  And she took counsel with herself as to how she might bring to pass that which the simple souls knew not how to bring, and, lo! as she thought it came unto her.  That’s a true parable!

What came was the thought of a picnic.  Whythe and Elizabeth must accidentally have a chance to come across each other and have it out, and the best way they could do it would be outdoors, where it is convenient to wander off and get away from nudgers and commenters; and being nothing but impulse, I turned to Whythe, who was still unconsciously watching Elizabeth, and asked him if he would help me with something I was anxious to do.  He said of course, and wanted to know what it was.  When I told him I would tell him the next day he asked me to drive with him in the morning, and didn’t like it because I declined.  That is, he didn’t like my reason, which was that, as he had been out of his office for some time, his business must need attending to, and I didn’t think it ought to be left any longer.  He seemed to think that a very unnecessary remark, and I realized he liked Elizabeth’s kind better.  She would never have dreamed of telling him his business needed attention.  Elizabeth is the Admired and Honored type of Womanhood which does not think it is ladylike to have knowledge of business matters.