“Wrong, Edward. You should take things as they are.”
With a heavy sigh Pierson answered:
“I wish I could see her future. She's so attractive. And her defences are gone. She's lost faith, and belief in all that a good woman should be. The day after she came back she told me she was ashamed of herself. But since—she's not given a sign. She's so proud—my poor little Nollie. I see how men admire her, too. Our Belgian friend is painting her. He's a good man; but he finds her beautiful, and who can wonder. And your friend Captain Fort. Fathers are supposed to be blind, but they see very clear sometimes.”
Leila rose and drew down a blind.
“This sun,” she said. “Does Jimmy Fort come to you—often?”
“Oh! no; very seldom. But still—I can see.”
'You bat—you blunderer!' thought Leila: 'See! You can't even see this beside you!'
“I expect he's sorry for her,” she said in a queer voice.
“Why should he be sorry? He doesn't know:”
“Oh, yes! He knows; I told him.”