Part 38 (1/2)
”Go on.”
”Marjory liked this fellow well enough because--well, because he looked more or less like a man. He was big physically, and all that.
Besides, his ancestors were all men, and I suppose they handed down something.”
”What was his name?”
”I think I 'd rather not tell you that. It's of no importance. This is all strictly in confidence.”
”I understand.”
”So she let herself see a good deal of him. He was able to amuse her.
That kind of fellow generally can entertain a woman. In fact, that is about all they are good for. When it comes down to the big things, there is n't much there. They are well enough for the holidays, and I guess that was all she was thinking about. She had had a hard time, and wanted amus.e.m.e.nt. Maybe she fancied that was all she ever wanted; but--well, there was more in her than she knew herself.”
”A thousand times more!” exclaimed Peter.
”She found it out. Perhaps, after all, this fellow served his purpose in helping her to realize that.”
”Perhaps.”
”So, after that, he left.”
”And he cared for her?”
”Yes.”
”Poor devil!”
”I don't know,” mused Monte. ”He seemed, on the whole, rather glad that he had been able to do that much for her.”
”I 'd like to meet that man some day. I have a notion there is more in him than you give him credit for, Covington.”
”I doubt it.”
”A man who would give up her--”
”She's the sort of woman a man would want to do his level best for,”
broke in Monte. ”If that meant giving her up,--if the fellow felt he was n't big enough for her,--then he could n't do anything else, could he?”
”The kind big enough to consider that would be big enough for her,”
declared Peter.
Monte drew a quick breath.
”Do you mind repeating that?”
”I say the man really loving her who would make such a sacrifice comes pretty close to measuring up to her standard.”
”I think he would like to hear that. You see, it's the first real sacrifice he ever undertook.”