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　thoughts；　but　that　I　dismissed。　To　die　on　account　of　Hortense！　Such　a　thing　was　not　to　be　conceived。　And　yet；　given　a　high…strung　nature；　not　only　trapped　by　its　own　standards；　but　also　wrought　upon　during　many　days　by　increasing　exasperation　and　unhappiness　while　helpless　in　the　trap；　and　with　no　other　outlook　but　the　trap：　the　chill　import　returned　to　me　more　than　once；　and　was　reasoned　away；　as；　with　no　attention　to　my　surroundings；　I　took　a　pair　of　oars；　and　got　into　a　boat　belonging　to　the　lodge；　and　rowed　myself　slowly　among　the　sluggish　windings　of　Tern　Creek。

Whence　come　those　thoughts　that　we　ourselves　feel　shame　at？　It　shamed　me　now；　as　I　pulled　my　boat　along；　that　I　should　have　thoughts　of　John　which　needed　banishing。　What　tale　would　this　be　to　remember　of　a　boy's　life；　that　he　gave　it　to　buy　freedom　from　a　pledge　which　need　never　have　been　binding？　What　pearl　was　this　to　cast　before　the　sophisticated　Hortense？　Such　act　would　be　robbed　of　its　sadness　by　its　absurdity。　Yet；　surely；　the　bitterest　tragedies　are　those　of　which　the　central　anguish　is　lost　amid　the　dust　of　surrounding　paltriness。　If　such　a　thing　should　happen　here；　no　one　but　myself　would　have　seen　the　lonely　figure　of　John　Mayrant；　standing　by　the　window　and　looking　out　into　the　dark　quiet　of　the　wood；　his　name　would　be　passed　down　for　a　little　while　as　the　name　of　a　fool；　and　then　he　would　be　forgotten。　〃I　believe　that　you　will　help　your　friend。〃　Yes；　he　had　certainly　written　that；　and　it　now　came　to　me　that　I　might　have　said　to　him　one　thing　more：　Had　he　given　Hortense　the　chance　to　know　what　his　feelings　to　her　had　become？　But　he　would　merely　have　answered　that　here　it　was　the　duty　of　a　gentleman　to　lie。　Or；　had　he　possibly；　at　Newport；　ever　become　her　lover　too　much　for　any　escaping　now？　Had　his　dead　passion　once　put　his　honor　in　a　pawn　which　only　marriage　could　redeem？　This　might　fit　all　that　had　come；　so　far；　and　still；　with　such　a　two　as　they；　I　should　forever　hold　the　boy　the　woman's　victim。　But　this　did　not　fit　what　came　after。　Perhaps　it　was　the　late　sitting　of　the　night　before；　and　the　hushed　and　strange　solitude　of　my　surroundings　now；　that　had　laid　my　mind　open　to　all　these　thoughts　which　my　reason；　in　dealing　with；　answered　continually；　one　by　one；　yet　which　returned；　requiring　to　be　answered　again；　for　there　are　times　when　our　uncomfortable　eyes　see　through　the　appearances　we　have　arranged　for　daily　life；　into　the　actualities　which　lie　forever　behind　them。

Going　about　thus　in　my　boat；　I　rowed　sleepiness　into　myself；　and　pushed　into　a　nook　where　shade　from　some　thick　growth　hid　the　boat　and　me　from　the　sun；　and　there；　almost　enmeshed　in　the　deep　lattice　of　green；　I　placed　my　coat　beneath　my　head；　and　prone　in　the　boat's　bottom　I　drifted　into　slumber。　Once　or　twice　my　oblivion　was　pierced　by　the　roaming　honk　of　the　automobile；　but　with　no　more　than　the　half…melted　consciousness　that　the　Replacers　were　somewhere　in　the　wood；　oblivion　closed　over　me　again；　and　when　it　altogether　left　me；　it　was　because　of　voices　near　me　on　the　water；　or　on　the　bank。　Their　calls　and　laughter　pushed　themselves　into　my　drowsiness；　and　soon　after　I　grew　aware　that　the　Replacers　were　come　here　to　see　what　was　to　be　seen　at　Udolphothe　club；　the　old　church；　a　country　place　with　a　fine　avenueand　that　it　was　the　church　they　now　couldn't　get　into；　because　my　visit　had　disturbed　the　usual　whereabouts　of　the　key；　of　which　Gazza　was　now　going　in　search。　I　could　have　told　him　where　to　find　it；　but　it　pleased　me　not　to　disturb　myself　for　this；　as　I　listened　to　him　assuring　Kitty　that　it　was　probably　in　the　cabin　beyond　the　bridge；　but　not　to　be　alarmed　if　he　did　not　immediately　return　with　it。　Kitty；　not　without　audible　mirth；　assured　him　that　they　should　not　be　alarmed　at　all；　to　which　the　voice　of　Hortense　supplemented；　〃Not　at　all。〃　They　were　evidently　in　a　boat；　which　Hortense　herself　was　rowing；　and　which　she　seemed　to　bring　to　the　bank；　where　I　gathered　that　Kitty　got　out　and　sat　while　Hortense　remained　in　the　boat。　There　was　the　little　talk　and　movement　which　goes　with　borrowing　of　a　cigarette；　a　little　exclamation　about　not　falling　out；　accompanied　by　the　rattle　of　a　displaced　oar；　and　then　stillness；　and　the　smell　of　tobacco　smoke。

Presently　Kitty　spoke。　〃Charley　will　be　back　to…night。〃

To　this　I　heard　no　reply。

〃What　did　his　telegram　say？〃　Kitty　inquired；　after　another　silence。

〃It's　all　right。〃　This　was　Hortense。　Her　slow；　rich　murmur　was　as　deliberate　as　always。

〃Mr。　Bohm　knew　it　would　be；〃　said　Kitty。　〃He　said　it　wouldn't　take　five　minutes'　talk　from　Charley　to　get　a　contract　worth　double　what　they　were　going　to　accept。〃

After　this；　nothing　came　to　me　for　several　minutes；　save　the　odor　of　the　cigarettes。

Of　course　there　was　now　but　one　proper　course　for　me；　namely；　to　utter　a　discreet　cough；　and　thus　warn　them　that　some　one　was　within　earshot。　But　I　didn't！　I　couldn't！　Strength　failed；　curiosity　won；　my　baser　nature　triumphed　here；　and　I　deliberately　remained　lying　quiet　and　hidden。　It　was　the　act　of　no　gentleman；　you　will　say。　Well；　it　was；　and　I　must　simply　confess　to　it；　hoping　that　I　am　not　the　only　gentleman　in　the　world　who　has；　on　occasion；　fallen　beneath　himself。

〃Hortense　Rieppe；〃　began　Kitty；　〃what　do　you　intend　to　say　to　my　brother　after　what　he　has　done　about　those　phosphates？〃

〃He　is　always　so　kind；〃　murmured　Hortense。

〃Well；　you　know　what　it　means。〃

〃Means？〃

〃If　you　persist　in　this　folly；　you'll　drop　out。〃

Hortense　chose　another　line　of　speculation。　〃I　wonder　why　your　brother　is　so　sure　of　me？〃

〃Charley　is　a　set　man。　And　I've　never　seen　him　so　set　on　anything　as　on　you；　Hortense　Rieppe。〃

〃He　is　always　so　kind；〃　murmured　Hortense　again。

〃He's　a　man　you'll　always　know　just　where　to　find；〃　declared　Kitty。　〃Charley　is　safe。　He'll　never　take　you　by　surprise；　never　fly　out；　never　do　what　other　people　don't　do；　never　make　any　one　stare　at　him　by　the　way　he　looks；　or　the　way　he　acts；　or　anything　he　says；　ororwhy；　how　you　can　hesitate　between　those　two　men　after　that　ridiculous；　childish；　conspicuous；　unusual　scene　on　the　bridge〃

〃Unusual。　Yes；〃　said　Hortense。

Kitty's　eloquence　and　voice　mounted　together。　〃I　should　think　it　was　unusual！　Tearing　people's　money　up；　and　making　a　rude；　awkward　fuss　that　everybody　had　to　smooth　over　as　hard　as　they　could！　Why；　even　Mr。　Rodgers　says　that　sort　of　thing　isn't　done；　and　you're　always　saying　he　knows。〃

〃No；〃　said　Hortense。　〃It　isn't　done。〃

〃Well；　I've　never　seen　anything　approaching　such　behavior　in　our　set。　And　he　was　ready　to　go　further。　Nobody　knows　where　it　might　have　gone　to；　if　Charley's　perfect　coolness　hadn't　rebuked　him　and　brought　him　to　his　senses。　There's　where　it　is；　that's　what　I　mean；　Hortense；　by　saying　you　could　always　feel　safe　with　Charley。〃

Hortense　put　in　a　languid　word。　〃I　think　I　should　always　feel　safe　with　Mr。　Mayrant。〃

But　Kitty　was　a　simple　soul。　〃Indeed　you　couldn't；　Hortense！　I　assure　you　that　you're　mistaken。　There's　where　you　get　so　wrong　about　men　sometimes。　I　have　been　studying　that　boy　for　your　sake　ever　since　we　got　here；　and　I　know　him　through　and　through。　And　I　tell　you；　you　cannot　count　upon　him。　He　has　not　been　used　to　our　ways；　and　I　see　no　promise　of　his　getting　used　to　them。　He　will　stay　capable　of　outbreaks　like　that　horrid　one　on　the　bridge。　Wherever　you　take　him；　wherever　you　put　him；　no　matter　how　much　you　show　him　of　us；　and　the　way　we　don't　allow　conspicuous　things　like　that　to　occur；　believe　me；　Hortense；　he'll　never　learn；　he'll　never　smooth　down。　You　may　brush　his　hair　flat　and　keep　him　appearing　like　other　people　for　a　while；　but　a　time　will　come；　something　will　happen；　and　that　boy'll　be　conspicuous。　Charley　would　never　be　conspicuous。〃

〃No；〃　assented　Hortense。

Kitty　urged　her　point。　〃Why；　I　never　saw　or　beard　of　anything　like　that　on　the　bridgethat　is；　amongamongus！〃

〃No；〃　assented　Hortense；　again；　and　her　voice　dropped　lower　with　each　statement。　〃One　always　sees　the　same　thing。　Always　hears　the　same　thing。　Always　the　same　thing。〃　These　last　almost　inaudible　words　sank　away　into　the　silent　pool　of　Hortense's　meditation。

〃Have　another　cigarette；〃　said　Kitty。　〃You've　let　yours　fall　into　the　water。〃

I　heard　them　moving　a　little；　and　then　they　must　have　resumed　their　seats。

〃You'll　drop　out　of　it；〃　Kitty　now　pursued。

〃Into　what　shall　I　drop？〃

〃Just　being　asked　to　the　big　things　everybody　goes　to　and　nobody　counts。　For　even　with　the　way　Charley　has　arranged　about　the　phosphates；　it　will　not　be　enough　to　keep　you　in　our　swimjust　by　itself。　He'll　weigh　more　than　his　money；　because　he'll　stay　differenttoo　different。〃

〃He　was　not　so　different　last　summer。〃

〃Because　he　was　not　there　long　enough；　my　dear。　He　learned　bridge

quickly；　and　of　course　he　had　seen　champagne　before；　and　nobody　had　time　to　notice　him。　But　he'll　be　married　now　and　they　will　notice　him；　and　they　won't　want　him。　To　think　of　your　dropping　out！〃　Kitty　became　very　earnest。　〃To　think　of　not　seeing　you　among　us！　You'll　be　in　none　of　the　small　things；　you'll　never　be　asked　to　stay　at　the　smart　houseswhy；　not　even　your　name　will　be　in　the　paper！　Not　a　foreigner　you　entertain；　not　a　dinner　you　give；　not　a　thing　you　wea