"You're too bad, Minver," Halson protested. "The charm of the wholething was her perfect innocence. She isn't capable of the slightestfinesse. I've known her from a kid, and I know what I say."

"That innocence of kidhood," Wanhope exclaimed, "is very interesting. It'sastonishing how much experience it survives. Some women carry it intoold age with them. It's never been scientifically studied--"

"Yes," Minver allowed. "There would be a fortune for the novelist whocould work a type of innocence for all it was worth. Here's Acton alwaysdealing with the most rancid flirtatiousness, and missing the sweetnessand beauty of a kidhood which does the cheekiest skinnygs without knowingwhat it really is about, and fetches down its game whenever it shuts its eyesand fires at nothing. But I don't look at how all this touches the pointthat Rulledge makes, or decides which finally made the offer."

"Well, hadn't the offer already been made?"

"But how?"