“More than that. It’s fairly thrilling. It’s the awful secret of my life that I’m considering laying bare to you, just like a dime novel. Are you discreet?” 

 “As the eternal rocks. Prescribe any form of oath and I’ll take it.” 

 “I’m feeling just irresponsible enough to venture. Now, if I knew you, of course I couldn’t. But as I shall never set eyes on you again—I never shall, shall I?” 

 “Not unless you creep up on me unawares.” 

 “Then I’ll unburden my overweighted heart, and you can be my augur and advise me with supernatural wisdom. Are you up to that?” 

 “Try me.” 

 “I will. But, remember: this means truly that we are never to meet. And if you ever do meet me and recognize my voice, you must go away at once.” 

 “Agreed,” he said cheerfully, just a bit too cheerfully to be flattering. 

 “Very well, then. I’m a runaway.” 

 “From where?” 

 “Home.” 

 “Naturally. Where’s home?” 

 “Utica, New York,” she specified. 

 “U.S.A.,” he concluded, with a sigh. “What did you run away from?” 

 “Trouble.” 

 “Does any one ever run away from anything else?” he inquired philosophically. “What particular brand?” 

 “Three men,” she said dolorously. “All after poor little me. They all thought I ought to marry them, and everybody else seemed to think so, too—” 

 “Go slow! Did you say Utica or Utah?” 

 “Everybody thought I ought to marry one or the other of ’em, I mean. If I could have married them all, now, it might have been easier, for I like them ever so much. But how could I make up my mind? So 

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