"She's a wonder, they say," he said from the doorway. "Take two
hankies along, for it's got more tears than 'East Lynne' and 'The
Old Homestead' put together."

He went out, holding himself very erect and looking very cheerful
until he reached the corner. There however he slumped, and it was
a rather despondent young man who stood sometime later, on the
center of the deserted bridge over the small river, and surveyed
the water with moody eyes.

In the dusky living-room Nina was speaking her mind.

"You treat him like a dog," she said. "Oh, I know you're civil to
him, but if any man looked at me the way Wallie looks at you--I
don't know, though," she added, thoughtfully. "It may be that that
is why he is so keen. It may be good tactics. Most girls fall for
him with a crash."

But when she glanced at Elizabeth she saw that she had not heard.
Her eyes were fixed on something on the street beyond the window.
Nina looked out. With a considerable rattle of loose joints and
four extraordinarily worn tires the Livingstone car was going by.



IV

David did not sleep well that night. He had not had his golf after
all, for the Homer baby had sent out his advance notice early in the
afternoon, and had himself arrived on Sunday evening, at the hour