“Once, for a time,—yes, I thought so. But neither of us had the right to be thinking of such things, then. It was a boy and girl affair.”
“Quite sure that was all?”
“Quite. The trouble was I showed her what I felt, or thought I felt, and from that came the inevitable complication and misunderstanding. We were both very stubborn. Mr. Brinsmade, there’s another thing, since we’re speaking plainly,” I added, suddenly impelled to frankness. “Do you realize that in these years many things have come into my life? I wonder if you would feel as you do—”
“David, you have been tried; that shows in your face,” he said, looking at me keenly. “I have been a young man myself, and I don’t pretend to misunderstand you. Perhaps this is unfair to you—”
“Mr. Brinsmade, there was a woman—I almost went on the rocks two years ago,” I said abruptly, and immediately regretted it.
“Are you your own master to-day?”
“Yes—thank God.”
“Absolutely certain?”
“Absolutely.”