Shirley frowned.
"No—if I had accepted him, it wouldn't be a secret."
Miriam looked at her blankly.
"Why did you refuse him?"
Shirley seemed puzzled.
"That's just what I want to know myself. I don't know why.... Somehow, I couldn't marry Thorne."
"Well, for some unexplainable reason, I'm glad of that," assented Miriam.
"Tell me about Murgatroyd," said Shirley suddenly, reseating herself. "I haven't seen him——"
"There isn't much to tell," answered Miriam. "As a reformer, he's been a success. He's serving his second term as prosecutor, you know. It seems he wanted to finish his work there."
Shirley tossed her head.