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g；　and　now　she　was　blaming　him　because　he　had　resigned；　and　I　ate　my　breakfast　in　much　entertainment　over　this　female　acrobat　in　censure。

No　more　was　said；　I　think　that　my　manner　of　taking　Juno's　news　had　been　perfectly　successful　in　disappointing　her。　John's　resignation；　if　it　had　really　occurred；　did　certainly　follow　very　close　upon　the　arrival　of　Hortense；　but　I　had　spoken　one　true　thought　in　intimating　that　I　doubted　if　it　was　due　to　the　influence　of　Miss　Rieppe。　It　seemed　to　me　to　the　highest　degree　unlikely　that　the　boy　in　his　present　state　of　feeling　would　do　anything　he　did　not　wish　to　do　because　his　ladylove　happened　to　wish　itexcept　marry　her！　There　was　apparently　no　doubt　that　he　would　do　that。　Did　she　want　him；　poverty　and　all？　Was　she；　even　now；　with　eyes　open；　deliberately　taking　her　last　farewell　days　of　automobiles　and　of　steam　yachts？　That　voice　of　hers；　that　rich　summons；　with　its　quiet　certainty　of　power；　sounded　in　my　memory。　〃John；〃　she　had　called　to　him　from　the　automobile；　and　thus　John　had　gone　away　in　it；　wedged　in　among　Charley　and　the　fat　cushions　and　all　the　money　and　glass　eyes。　And　now　he　had　resigned　from　the　Custom　House！　Yes；　that　was；　whatever　it　signified；　truly　amazingif　true。

So　I　continued　to　ponder　quite　uselessly；　until　the　up…country　bride　aroused　me。　She；　it　appeared；　had　been　greatly　carried　away　by　the　beauty　of　Live　Oaks；　and　was　making　her　David　take　her　there　again　this　morning；　and　she　was　asking　me　didn't　I　hope　we　shouldn't　get　stuck？　The　people　had　got　stuck　yesterday；　three　whole　hours；　right　on　a　bank　in　the　river；　and　wasn't　it　a　sin　and　a　shame　to　run　a　boat　with　ever　so　many　passengers　aground？　By　the　doctrine　of　chances；　I　informed　her；　we　had　every　right　to　hope　for　better　luck　to…day；　and；　with　the　assurance　of　how　much　my　felicity　was　increased　by　the　prospect　of　having　her　and　David　as　company　during　the　expedition；　I　betook　myself　meanwhile　to　my　own　affairs；　which　meant　chiefly　a　call　at　the　Exchange　to　inquire　for　Eliza　La　Heu；　and　a　visit　to　the　post…office　before　starting　upon　a　several　hours'　absence。

A　few　steps　from　our　front　door　I　came　upon　John　Mayrant；　and　saw　at　once　too　plainly　that　no　ease　had　come　to　his　spirit　during　the　hours　since　the　bridge。　He　was　just　emerging　from　an　adjacent　house。

〃And　have　you　resigned？〃　I　asked　him。

〃Yes。　That's　done。　You　haven't　seen　Miss　Rieppe　this　morning？〃

〃Why；　she's　surely　not　boarding　with　Mrs。　Trevise？〃

〃No；　stopping　here　with　her　old　friend；　Mrs。　Cornerly。　He　indicated　the　door　he　had　come　from。　〃Of　course；　you　wouldn't　be　likely　to　see　her　pass！〃　And　with　that　he　was　gone

That　he　was　greatly　stirred　up　by　something　there　could　be　no　doubt；　never　before　had　I　seen　him　so　abrupt；　it　seemed　clear　that　anger　had　taken　the　place　of　despondency；　or　whatever　had　been　his　previous　mood；　and　by　the　time　I　reached　the　post…office　I　had　already　imagined　and　dismissed　the　absurd　theory　that　John　was　jealous　of　Charley；　had　resigned　from　the　Custom　House　as　a　first　step　toward　breaking　his　engagement；　and　had　rung　Mrs。　Cornerly's　bell　at　this　early　hour　with　the　purpose　of　informing　his　lady…love　that　all　was　over　between　them。　Jealousy　would　not　be　likely　to　produce　this　set　of　manifestations　in　young；　foolish　John；　and　I　may　say　here　at　once；　what　I　somewhat　later　learned；　that　the　boy　had　come　with　precisely　the　opposite　purpose；　namely；　to　repeat　and　reenforce　his　steadfast　constancy；　and　that　it　was　something　far　removed　from　jealousy　which　had　spurred　him　to　this。

I　found　the　girl　behind　the　counter　at　her　post；　grateful　to　me　for　coming　to　ask　how　she　was　after　the　shock　of　yesterday；　but　unwilling　to　speak　of　it　at　all；　all　which　she　expressed　by　her　charming　manner；　and　by　the　other　subjects　she　chose　for　conversation；　and　especially　by　the　way　in　which　she　held　out　her　hand　when　I　took　my　leave。

Near　the　post…office　I　was　hailed　by　Beverly　Rodgers；　who　proclaimed　to　me　at　once　a　comic　but　genuine　distress。　He　had　already　walked；　he　said　（and　it　was　but　half…past　nine　o'clock；　as　he　bitterly　bade　me　observe　on　the　church　dial）；　more　miles　in　search　of　a　drink　than　his　unarithmetical　brain　had　the　skill　to　compute。　And　he　confounded　such　a　town　heartily；　he　should　return　as　soon　as　possible　to　Charley's　yacht；　where　there　was　civilization；　and　where　he　had　spent　the　night。　During　his　search　he　had　at　length　come　to　a　door　of　promising　appearance；　and　gone　in　there；　and　they　had　explained　to　him　that　it　was　a　dispensary。　A　beastly　arrangement。　What　was　the　name　of　the　razor…back　hog　they　said　had　invented　it？　And　what　did　you　do　for　a　drink　in　this　confounded　water…hole？

He　would　find　it　no　water…hole；　I　told　him；　but　there　were　methods　which　a　stranger　upon　his　first　morning　could　scarce　be　expected　to　grasp。　〃I　could　direct　you　to　a　Dutchman；〃　I　said；　〃but　you're　too　well　dressed　to　win　his　confidence　at　once。〃

〃Well；　old　man；〃　began　Beverly；　〃I　don't　speak　Dutch；　but　give　me　a　crack　at　the　confidence。〃

However；　he　renounced　the　project　upon　learning　what　a　Dutchman　was。　Since　my　hours　were　no　longer　dedicated　to　establishing　the　presence　of　royal　blood　in　my　veins　I　had　spent　them　upon　various　local　investigations　of　a　character　far　more　entertaining　and　akin　to　my　taste。　It　was　in　truth　quite　likely　that　Beverly　could　in　a　very　few　moments；　with　his　smile　and　his　manner；　find　his　way　to　any　Dutchman's　heart；　he　had　that　divine　gift　of　winning　over　to　him　quickly　all　sorts　and　conditions　of　men；　and　my　account　of　the　ingenious　and　law…baffling　contrivances；　which　you　found　at　these　little　grocery　shops；　at　once　roused　his　curiosity　to　make　a　trial；　but　he　decided　that　the　club　was　better；　if　less　picturesque。　And　he　told　me　that　all　the　men　of　the　automobile　party　had　received　from　John　Mayrant　cards　of　invitation　to　the　club。

〃Your　fire…eater　is　a　civil　chap；〃　said　Beverly。　〃And　by　the　way；　do　you　happen　to　know；〃　here　he　pulled　from　his　pocket　a　letter　and　consulted　its　address；　〃Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michael？〃

I　was　delighted　that　he　brought　an　introduction　to　this　lady；　Hortense　Rieppe　could　not　open　for　him　any　of　those　haughty　doors；　and　I　wished　not　only　that　Beverly　（since　he　was　just　the　man　to　appreciate　it　and　understand　it）　should　see　the　fine　flower　of　Kings　Port；　but　also　that　the　fine　flower　of　Kings　Port　should　see　him；　the　best　blood　of　the　South　could　not　possibly　turn　out　anything　better　than　Beverly　Rodgers；　and　it　was　horrible　and　humiliating　to　think　of　the　other　Northern　specimens　of　men　whom　Hortense　had　imported　with　her。　I　was　here　suddenly　reminded　that　the　young　woman　was　a　guest　of　the　Cornerlys；　the　people　who　swept　their　garden；　the　people　whom　Eliza　La　Heu　at　the　Exchange　did　not　〃know〃；　and　at　this　the　remark　of　Mrs。　Gregory　St。　Michael；　when　I　had　walked　with　her　and　Mrs。　Weguelin；　took　on　an　added　lustre　of　significance：

〃We　shall　have　to　call。〃

Call　on　the　Cornerlys！　Would　they　do　that？　Were　they　ready　to　stand　by　their　John　to　that　tune？　A　hotel　would　be　nothing；　you　could　call　on　anybody　at　a　hotel；　if　you　had　to；　but　here　would　be　a　demarche　indeed！　Yet；　nevertheless；　I　felt　quite　certain　that；　if　Hortense；　though　the　Cornerlys'　guest；　was　also　the　guaranteed　fiancee　of　John　Mayrant；　the　old　ladies　would　come　up　to　the　scratch；　hate　and　loathe　it　as　they　might；　and　undoubtedly　would：　they　could　be　trusted　to　do　the　right　thing。

I　told　Beverly　how　glad　I　was　that　he　would　meet　Mrs。　Weguelin　St。　Michael。　〃The　rest　of　your　party；　my　friend；〃　I　said；　〃are　not　very　likely　to。〃　And　I　generalized　to　him　briefly　upon　the　town　of　Kings　Port。　〃Supposing　I　take　you　to　call　upon　Mrs。　St。　Michael　when　I　come　back　this　afternoon？〃　I　suggested。

Beverly　thought　it　over；　and　then　shook　his　head。　〃Wouldn't　do；　old　man。　If　these　people　are　particular　and　know；　as　you　say　they　do；　hadn't　I　better　leave　the　letter　with　my　card；　and　then　wait　till　she　sends　some　word？〃

He　was　right；　as　he　always　was；　unerringly。　Consorting　with　all　the　Charleys；　and　the　Bohms；　and　the　Cohns；　and　the　Kitties　hadn't　taken　the　fine　edge　from　Beverly's　good　inheritance　and　good　bringing　up；　his　instinct　had　survived　his　scruples；　making　of　him　an　agile　and　charming　cynic；　whom　you　could　trust　to　see　the　right　thing　always；　and　never　do　it　unless　it　was　absolutely　necessary；　he　would　marry　any　amount　of　Kitties　for　their　money；　and　always　know　that　beside　his　mother　and　sisters　they　were　as　dirt；　and　he　would　see　to　it　that　his　children　took　after　their　father；　went　to　school　in　England　for　a　good　accent　and　enunciation；　as　he　had　done；　went　to　college　in　America　for　the　sake　of　belonging　in　their　own　country；　as　he　had　done；　and　married　as　many　fortunes；　and　had　as　few　divorces；　as　possible。

〃Who　was　that　girl　on　the　bridge？〃　he　now　inquired　as　we　reached　the　steps　of　the　post…office；　and　when　I　had　told　him　again；　because　he　had　asked　me　about　Eliza　La　Heu　at　the　time；　〃She's　the　real　thing；〃　he　commented。　〃Quite　extraordinary；　you　know；　her　dignity；　when　poor　old　awful　Charley　was　messing　everythinghe's　so　used　to　mere　money；　you　know；　that　half　the　time　he　forgets　people　are　not　dollars；　and　you　have　to　kick　him　to　remind　himyes；　quite　perfect　dignity。　Gad；　it　took　a　lad