Monica emboldened herself to ask what the object was for which her friend worked.

“How shall I put it?” replied the other, smiling. “To make women hard-hearted.”

“Hard-hearted? I think I understand.”

“Do you?”

“You mean that you like to see them live unmarried.”

Rhoda laughed merrily.

“You say that almost with resentment.”

“No—indeed—I didn’t intend it.”

Monica reddened a little.

“Nothing more natural if you have done. At your age, I should have resented it.”