"Just so," Devereux responded. "You can't blame him, of course, for feeling bitter, but I haven't any sympathy for him now--he has shilly-shallied so long he would best forget it. Altogether Stephanie seems to have made a devil of a mess of it--with her husband, and the Amherst matter, and coming back the way she did, and refusing Lorraine's overtures for a reconciliation, and _now_ his attitude. It makes a pretty problem in human frailties--and mistakes. There isn't a thing about the whole affair that is normal. Why in thunder didn't Lorraine get killed in the recent accident? No one would ever have missed him!"
"Those that will never be missed are usually the ones that can't be killed," Pendleton remarked. "However, so long as Amherst stays away there will be no killing--and Lorraine, in the meantime, may see reason. Let us hope for it--for Stephanie's sake."
"And if Lorraine does go into the killing business, I trust he will make a thorough job of it and wipe out both Amherst and himself. Clean the slate!"
"A clean slate for a fresh start," said Pendleton.
"For a fresh start?" he inflected tentatively.
But Pendleton had resumed his smoke rings--and for a time there was silence.
"I didn't see you at the Croyden's last night."
"I wasn't there," replied Pendleton. "I came in from New York this morning. Was it interesting?"
"The Croyden functions are always interesting--some more so than others, but any of them will do for mine, thank you!--Lucky chap, Croyden!"
Pendleton nodded. "Not many girls would have done what Elaine Cavendish did: throw convention overboard and--because Croyden was poor and wouldn't, and she was rich and loved him--bridge the chasm and made it easy for him to cross to her."
"Elaine's a girl in a million!" Devereux declared. "I wish there were some more of that sort."
"Would I pick one? Well, rather, my friend."
"I wanted to but she wouldn't be picked--by me."
"I can't remember that you fussed her especially."
"I can't remember it myself; but I reckon I read my doom beforehand, and didn't go up against it. Elaine is a winner for looks, Pendleton. She was the loveliest thing last night I most ever saw--in a shimmering silver gown and--there was only one woman who was her equal in looks: Stephanie Lorraine. _She's_ unbeatable--simply unbeatable!"