“Never!” replied Strong, peacefully.  “Esther always told me that I had nothing but chalk and plate-glass in my mind, and could never love or be loved.  We have discussed it a good deal.  She says I am an old glove that fits well enough but will not cling.  Of course it was her business to make me cling and I told her so.  No!  I never was in love with her, but I have been nearer it these last ten days than ever before.  She will come out of her trouble either made or marred, and a year hence I will tell you which.”

“Take care,” said Hazard.  “I have learned to conquer all my passions except jealousy, and that I have never yet tried.”

“If she marries you,” replied Strong, “that will settle it.”

“If she marries me!” broke out Hazard, paying no attention to Strong’s quiet assumption that for Esther to be thus married was to be marred.  “Do you mean that there is any doubt about it?”

“I supposed that was what you wanted to talk about,” answered Strong with some surprise.  “Is any thing else the matter?”

“You always put facts in a horribly materialistic way,” responded Hazard.  “I wanted to consult you about making things easier for her, not about broken engagements.”

“Bless your idealistic soul!” said Strong.  “I have already tried to help her in that way, and made a shocking piece of work.  Has not Esther told you?” and he went on to give his friend an account of the morning’s conversation in which his attempt to preach the orthodox faith had suffered disastrous defeat.  Hazard listened closely, and at the end sat for some time silent in deep thought.  Then he said: 

“Esther told me something of this, though I did not get the idea it was so serious.  I am glad to know the whole; but you should not have tried to discipline her.  Leave the thunders of the church to me.”

“What could I do?” asked Strong.  “She jammed me close up to the wall.  I did not know where to turn.  You would have been still less pleased if I had done what she wanted, and given her the whole Agnostic creed.”

“I am not quite so sure about that,” rejoined Hazard thoughtfully.  “I am never afraid of pure atheism; it is the flabby kind of sentimental deism that annoys me, because it is as slippery as air.  If you will tell her honestly what your skepticism means, I will risk the consequences.”

“Just as you like!” said Strong; “if she attacks me again, I will give her the strongest kind of a dose of what you are pleased to call pure atheism.  Not that I mind what it is called.  She shall have it crude.  Only remember that I prefer to tackle her on the other side.”

“Do as you please!” said Hazard.  “Now let us come to business.  All Esther wants is time.  I am as certain as I can be of any thing in this uncertain world, that a few weeks, or at the outside a few months, will quiet all her fears.  What I want is to stop this immediate strain which is enough to distract any woman.”