Carnac was of an impressionable nature, but brought to face the
possibility of marriage with Luzanne, he shrank. If ever he married it
would be a girl like Junia Shale, beautiful, modest, clever and well
educated. No, Luzanne could never be for him. So he forbore doing more
than ask her to forgive him, and he would take her to lunch-the last
lunch of the picture-if she would. With features in chagrin, she put
on her hat, yet when she turned to him, she was smiling.

He visited her home occasionally, and Luzanne's father had a friend,
Ingot by name, who was sometimes present. This man made himself almost
unbearable at first; but Luzanne pulled Ingot up acridly, and he
presently behaved well. Ingot disliked all men in better positions than
himself, and was a revolutionary of the worst sort--a revolutionary and
monarchist. He was only a monarchist because he loved conspiracy and
hated the Republican rulers who had imprisoned him--"those bombastics,"
he called them. It was a constitutional quarrel with the world.
However, he became tractable, and then he and Larue formed a plot to make
Carnac marry Luzanne. It was hatched by Ingot, approved by Larue, and at
length consented to by the girl, for so far as she could love anyone, she
loved Carnac; and she made up her mind that if he married her, no matter
how, she would make him so happy he would forgive all.

About four months after the incident in the studio, a picnic was arranged
for the Hudson River. Only the four went. Carnac had just sold a
picture at a good price--his Christian Martyr picture--and he was in high
spirits. They arrived at the spot arranged for the picnic in time for
lunch, and Luzanne prepared it. When the lunch was ready, they sat down.
There was much gay talk, compliments to Carnac came from both Larue and
Ingot, and Carnac was excited and buoyant. He drank much wine and beer,