"
"To somebody else?"
"I don't know. I was."
"Well--that'll be looked into and straightened out. And then
we'll quietly marry."
Susan laughed. "You're too fast," said she. "I'll admit I'm
interested. I've been looking for a road--one that doesn't
lead toward where we've come from. And this is the first road
that has offered. But I haven't agreed to go in with you
yet--haven't even begun to think it over. And if I did
agree--which I probably won't--why, still I'd not be willing
to marry. That's a serious matter. I'd want to be very, very
sure I was satisfied."
Palmer nodded, with a return of the look of admiration. "I
understand. You don't promise until you intend to stick, and
once you've promised all hell couldn't change you."
"Another thing--very unfortunate, too. It looks to me as if
I'd be dependent on you for money."
Freddie's eyes wavered. "Oh, we'd never quarrel about that,"
said he with an attempt at careless confidence.
"No," replied she quietly. "For the best of reasons. I'd not
consider going into any arrangement where I'd be dependent on
a man for money. I've had my experience. I've learned my
lesson. If I lived with you several years in the sort of
style you've suggested--no, not several years but a few
months--you'd have me absolutely at your mercy. You'd
thought of that, hadn't you?"
His smile was confession.
"I'd develop tastes for luxuries and they'd become
necessities.
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