As it was Sunday there was an even number of men in the party,
and Alexina, maneuvered into Jimmie Thorne's roadster, was enduring with
none of the sweet womanly graciousness which was hers to summon at will,
one of those passionate declarations of love which no beautiful young woman
out of love with her husband may hope to escape; and not always when in.
Alexina had grown skillful in eluding the reckless verbalisms of love,
but when one is packed into a small motor car with a determined man,
desperately in love, one might as well try to wave aside the whirlwind.
Jimmie Thorne was a fine specimen of the college-bred young American of
good family and keen professional mind. He has no place in this biography
save in so far as he jarred the inner forces of Alexina's being, and he
fell at Chateau-Thierry.
II
Alexina lifted her delicate profile and gave it as sulky an expression as
she could assume. She really liked him, but was annoyed at being trapped.
"I don't in the least wish to marry you."
"Everybody knows you don't care a straw for Dwight. You could easily get a
divorce--"
"On what grounds! Besides, I don't want to. I'd have to be really off my
head about a man even to think of such a thing. Our family has kept out of
the divorce courts. And I don't care two twigs for you, Jimmie dear."
"I don't believe it. That is, I know I could make you care.
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