she went on, ``I'm not sure but that there, too, the comparison is against you.You always suggest to me that if you hadn't the pattern set for men of our class and didn't follow it, you'd be absolutely lost, Davy, dear.While Victor--he's a fine, natural person, with the manners that grow as naturally out of his personality as oak leaves grow out of an oak.''
Jane was astonished and delighted by this eloquence of hers about the man she loved--an eloquence far above her usual rather commonplace mode of speech and thought.Love was indeed an inspirer! What a person she would become when she had Victor always stimulating her.She went on:
``A woman would never grow tired of Victor.He doesn't talk stale stuff such as all of us get from the stale little professors and stale, dreary text-books at our colleges.''
``Why don't you fall in love with him?'' said Davy sourly.
``I do believe you're envious of Victor Dorn,'' retorted Jane.
``What a disagreeable mood you're in to-day,'' said Davy.
``So a man always thinks when a woman speaks well of another man in his presence.''
``I didn't suspect you of being envious of Selma.Why should you suspect me of feeling ungenerously about Victor? Fall in love with him if you like.Heaven knows, I'd do nothing to stop it.''
``Perhaps I shall,'' said Jane, with unruffled amiability.
``You're setting a dangerous example of breaking down class lines.''
``Now, Jane, you know perfectly well that while, if I married Selma she'd belong to my class, a woman of our class marrying Victor Dorn would sink to his class.Why quarrel about anything so obviously true?''
``Victor Dorn belongs to a class by himself,'' replied Jane.
``You forget that men of genius are not regarded like you poor ordinary mortals.''
Davy was relieved that they had reached the turning at which they had to separate.``I believe you are in love with him,'' said he as a parting shot.
Jane, riding into her lane, laughed gayly, mockingly.She arrived at home in fine humor.It pleased her that Davy, for all his love for Selma, could yet be jealous of Victor Dorn on her account.And more than ever, after this talk with him--the part of it that preceded the quarrel--she felt that she was doing a fine, brave, haughtily aristocratic thing in loving Victor Dorn.
Only a woman with a royal soul would venture to be thus audacious.
Should she encourage or discourage the affair between Davy and Selma? There was much to be said for this way of removing Selma from her path; also, if a man of Davy Hull's position married beneath him, less would be thought of her doing the same thing.
On the other hand, she felt that she had a certain property right in David Hull, and that Selma was taking what belonged to her.
This, she admitted to herself, was mean and small, was unworthy of the woman who was trying to be worthy of Victor Dorn, of such love as she professed for him.Yes, mean and small.She must try to conquer it.
But--when she met Selma in the woods a few mornings later, her dominant emotions were anything but high-minded and generous.
Selma was looking her most fascinating--wild and strange and unique.They caught sight of each other at the same instant.
Jane came composedly on--Selma made a darting movement toward a by-path opening near her, hesitated, stood like some shy, lovely bird of the deep wilderness ready to fly away into hiding.
``Hello, Selma!'' said Jane carelessly.
Selma looked at her with wide, serious eyes.
``Where have you been keeping yourself of late? Busy with the writing, I suppose?''
``I owe you an apology,'' said Selma, in a queer, suppressed voice.``I have been hating you, and trying to think of some way to keep you and Victor Dorn apart.I thought it was from my duty to the cause.I've found out that it was a low, mean personal reason.''
Jane had stopped short, was regarding her with eyes that glowed in a pallid face.``Because you are in love with him?'' she said.
Selma gave a quick, shamed nod.``Yes,'' she said-- the sound was scarcely audible.
Selma's frank and generous--and confiding--self- sacrifice aroused no response in Jane Hastings.For the first time in her life she was knowing what it meant to hate.
``And I've got to warn you,'' Selma went on, ``that I am going to do whatever I can to keep you from hindering him.Not because Ilove him, but because I owe it to the cause.He belongs to it, and I must help him be single-hearted for it.You could only be a bad influence in his life.I think you would like to be a sincere woman; but you can't.Your class is too strong for you.
So--it would be wrong for Victor Dorn to love and to marry you.
I think he realizes it and is struggling to be true to himself.
I intend to help him, if I can.''
Jane smiled cruelly.``What hypocrisy!'' she said, and turned and walked away.
