“Marriage is such a mystery, before you’re into it,” Georgie said.  “But once you’re married, why, you feel as if you could attract any man in the world.  No more bashfulness, Sue, no more uncertainty.  You treat men exactly as you would girls, and of course they like it!”

Susan pondered this going home.  She thought she knew how to apply it to her attitude toward Peter.

Peter had not telephoned.  Susan, quietly determined to treat him, or attempt to treat him, with at least the frank protest she would have shown to another girl, telephoned to the Baxter house at once.  Mr. Coleman was not yet at home.

Some of her resolution crumbled.  It was very hard to settle down, after supper, to an evening of solitaire.  In these quiet hours, Susan felt less confident of Peter’s attitude when she announced her ultimatum; felt that she must not jeopardize their friendship now, must run no risks.

She had worked herself into a despondent and discouraged frame of mind when the telephone rang, at ten o’clock.  It was Peter.

“Hello, Sue!” said Peter gaily.  “I’m just in.  Burns said that you telephoned.”

“Burns said no more than the truth,” said Susan.  It was the old note of levity, anything but natural to to-night’s mood and the matter in hand.  But it was what Peter expected and liked.  She heard him laugh with his usual gaiety.

“Yes, he’s a truthful little soul.  He takes after me.  What was it?”

Susan made a wry mouth in the dark.

“Nothing at all,” she said, “I just telephoned—­I thought we might go out somewhere together.”

“Great heaven, we’re engaged!” she reminded her sinking heart, fiercely.

“Oh, too bad!  I was at the Gerald’s, at one of those darn rehearsals.”

A silence.

“Oh, all right!” said Susan.  A writhing sickness of spirit threatened to engulf her, but her voice was quiet.

“I’m sorry, Sue,” Peter said quickly in a lower tone, “I couldn’t very well get out of it without having them all suspect.  You can see that!”

Susan knew him so well!  He had never had to do anything against his will.  He couldn’t understand that his engagement entailed any obligations.  He merely wanted always to be happy and popular, and have everyone else happy and popular, too.

“And what about this trip to Japan with Mr. Gerald?” she asked.

There was another silence.  Then Peter said, in an annoyed tone: 

“Oh, Lord, that would probably be for a month, or six weeks at the outside!”

“I see,” said Susan tonelessly.

“I’ve got Forrest here with me to-night,” said Peter, apropos of nothing.

“Oh, then I won’t keep you!” Susan said.

“Well,” he laughed, “don’t be so polite about it!—­I’ll see you to-morrow?”

“Surely,” Susan said.  “Good-night.”

“Over the reservoir!” he said, and she hung up her receiver.