THE CELEBRITY By Winston Churchill VOLUME 2. CHAPTER V It was small wonder, said the knowing at Asquith, that Mr. CharlesWrexell Allen should be attracted by Irene Trevor. With the lakebreezes of the north the red and the tan came into her cheeks, those booncompanions of the open who are best won by the water-winds. Perhaps theybrought, too, the spring to the step and the light under the long lasheswhen she flashed a look across the table. Little by little it becameplain that Miss Trevor was gaining ground with the Celebrity to theneglect of the other young women at Asquith, and when it was announcedthat he was to lead the cotillon with her, the fact was regarded assignificant. Even at Asquith such things were talked about. Mr. Allenbecame a topic and a matter of conjecture. He was, I believe, generallyregarded as a good match; his unimpeachable man-servant argued worldlypossessions, of which other indications were not lacking, while his crestwas cited as a material sign of family. Yet when Miss Brewster, one ofthe brace of spinsters, who hailed from Brookline and purported to be anup-to-date edition of the Boston Blue Book, questioned the Celebrity onthis vital point after the searching manner warranted by the gravity ofthe subject, he was unable to acquit himself satisfactorily. When thisconversation was repeated in detail within the hearing of the father ofthe young woman in question, and undoubtedly for his benefit, Mr. Trevorthrew shame to the winds and scandalized the Misses Brewster then andthere by proclaiming his father to have been a country storekeeper. In the eyes of Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke the apotheosis of the Celebritywas complete. The people of Asquith were not only willing to attend thehouse-warming, but had been worked up to the pitch of eagerness. TheCelebrity as a matter of course was master of ceremonies. He originatedthe figures and arranged the couples, of which there were twelve fromAsquith and ten additional young women. These ten were assigned to theten young men whom Mr. Cooke expected in his private car, and whoseappearances, heights, and temperaments the Celebrity obtained from Mr. Cooke, carefully noted, and compared with those of the young women. Beit said in passing that Mrs. Cooke had nothing to do with any of it, butexhibited an almost criminal indifference. Mr. Cooke had even chosen thefavors; charity forbids that I should say what they were. Owing to the frequent consultations which these preparations madenecessary the Celebrity was much in the company of my client, which hecame greatly to prefer to mine, and I therefore abandoned mydetermination to leave Asquith. I was settling down delightedly to myold, easy, and unmolested existence when Farrar and I received aninvitation, which amounted to a summons, to go to Mohair and makeourselves generally useful. So we packed up and went. We made an oddparty before the arrival of the Ten, particularly when the Celebritydropped in for lunch or dinner. He could not be induced to remainpermanently at Mohair because Miss Trevor was at Asquith, but heappropriated a Hempstead cart from the Mohair stables and made the tripsometimes twice in a day. The fact that Mrs. Cooke treated him withunqualified disapproval did not dampen his spirits or lessen thefrequency of his visits, nor, indeed, did it seem to create any breachbetween husband and wife. Mr. Cooke took it for granted that his friendsshould not please his wife, and Mrs. Cooke remarked to Farrar and me thather husband was old enough to know better, and too old to be taught. Sheloved him devotedly and showed it in a hundred ways, but she wasabsolutely incapable of dissimulation. Thanks to Mrs. Cooke, our visit to Mohair was a pleasant one. We wereable in many ways to help in the arrangements, especially Farrar, who hadcharge of decorating the grounds. We saw but little of Mr. Cooke and theCelebrity. The arrival of the Ten was an event of importance, and occurred the dayof the dance. I shall treat the Ten as a whole because they did notmaterially differ from one another in dress or habits or ambition orgeneral usefulness on this earth. It is true that Mr. Cooke had beenable to make delicate distinctions between them for the aid of theCelebrity, but such distinctions were beyond me, and the power to makethem lay only in a long and careful study of the species which I couldnot afford to give. Likewise the life of any one of the Ten was the lifeof all, and might be truthfully represented by a single year, since eachyear was exactly like the preceding. The ordinary year, as iswell-known, begins on the first of January. But theirs was not theordinary year, nor the Church year, nor the fiscal year. Theirs began inthe Fall with the New York Horse Show. And I am of the opinion, thoughopen to correction, that they dated from the first Horse Show instead offrom the birth of Christ. It is certain that they were much betterversed in the history of the Association than in that of the Union, inthe biography of Excelsior rather than that of Lincoln. The Dog Show wasanother event to which they looked forward, when they migrated to NewYork and put up at the country places of their friends. But why gofarther? The Ten made themselves very much at home at Mohair. One of them toldthe Celebrity he reminded him very much of a man he had met in New Yorkand who had written a book, or something of that sort, which made theCelebrity wince. The afternoon was spent in one of the stable lofts, where Mr. Cooke had set up a mysterious L-shaped box, in one arm of whicha badger was placed by a groom, while my client's Sarah, a terrier, wassent into the other arm to invite the badger out. His objectionsexceeded the highest hopes; he dug his claws into the wood and devotedhimself to Sarah's countenance with unremitting industry. Thisoccupation was found so absorbing that it was with difficulty the Tenwere induced to abandon it and dress for an early dinner, and only did soafter the second peremptory message from Mrs. Cooke. "It's always this way, " said Mr. Cooke, regretfully, as he watched Sarahlicking the accessible furrows in her face; "I never started in onanything worth doing yet that Maria did not stop it. " Farrar and I were not available for the dance, and after dinner we lookedabout for a quiet spot in which to weather it, and where we could bewithin reach if needed. Such a place as this was the Florentinegalleried porch, which ran along outside the upper windows of theball-room; these were flung open, for the night was warm. At one end ofthe room the musicians, imported from Minneapolis by Mr. Cooke, werestriking the first discordant notes of the tuning, while at the other theCelebrity and my client, in scarlet hunting-coats, were gravelyinstructing the Ten, likewise in scarlet hunting-coats, as to theirconduct and functions. We were reviewing these interesting proceedingswhen Mrs. Cooke came hurrying towards us. She held a letter in her hand. "You know, " said she, "that Mr. Cooke is forgetful, particularly when hismind is occupied with important matters, as it has been for some time. Here is a letter from my niece, Miss Thorn, which he has carried in hispocket since Monday. We expected her two weeks ago, and had given herup. But it seems she was to leave Philadelphia on Wednesday, and willbe at that forlorn little station of Asquith at half-past nine to-night. I want you two to go over and meet her. " We expressed our readiness, and in ten minutes were in the station wagon, rolling rapidly down the long drive, for it was then after nine. Wepassed on the way the van of the guests from Asquith. As we reached thelodge we heard the whistle, and we backed up against one side of theplatform as the train pulled up at the other. Farrar and I are not imaginative; we did not picture to ourselves anyparticular type for the girl we were going to meet, we were simply doingour best to get to the station before the train. We jumped from thewagon and were watching the people file out of the car, and I noticedthat more than one paused to look back over their shoulders as theyreached the door. Then came a maid with hand-bag and shawls, and afterher a tall young lady. She stood for a moment holding her skirt abovethe grimy steps, with something of the stately pose which Richter hasgiven his Queen Louise on the stairway, and the light of the reflectorfell full upon her. She looked around expectantly, and recognizing Mrs. Cooke's maid, who had stepped forward to relieve hers of the shawls, MissThorn greeted her with a smile which greatly prepossessed us in herfavor. "How do you do, Jennie?" she said. "Did any one else come?" "Yes, Miss Marian, " replied Jennie, abashed but pleased, --"thesegentlemen. " Farrar and I introduced ourselves, awkwardly enough, and we both tried toexplain at once how it was that neither Mr. Nor Mrs. Cooke was there tomeet her. Of course we made an absolute failure of it. She scanned ourfaces with a puzzled expression for a while and then broke into a laugh. "I think I understand, " she said; "they are having the house-warming. " "She's first-rate at guessing, " said Farrar to me as we fledprecipitately to see that the trunks were hoisted into the basket. Neither of us had much presence of mind as we climbed into the wagon, and, what was even stranger, could not account for the lack of it. MissThorn was seated in the corner; in spite of the darkness I could see thatshe was laughing at us still. "I feel very badly that I should have taken you away from the dance, " weheard her say. "We don't dance, " I answered clumsily, "and we were glad to come. " "Yes, we were glad to come, " Farrar chimed in. Then we relapsed into a discomfited silence, and wished we were anywhereelse. But Miss Thorn relieved the situation by laughing aloud, and withsuch a hearty enjoyment that instead of getting angry and more mortifiedwe began to laugh ourselves, and instantly felt better. After that wegot along famously. She had at once the air of good fellowship and thedignity of a woman, and she seemed to understand Farrar and me perfectly. Not once did she take us over our heads, though she might have done sowith ease, and we knew this and were thankful. We began to tell herabout Mohair and the cotillon, and of our point of observation from theFlorentine galleried porch, and she insisted she would join us there. By the time we reached the house we were thanking our stars she had come. Mrs. Cooke came out under the port-cochere to welcome her. "Unfortunately there is no one to dance with you, Marian, " she said; "butif I had not by chance gone through your uncle's pockets, there wouldhave been no one to meet you. " I think I had never felt my deficiency in dancing until that moment. ButMiss Thorn took her aunt's hand affectionately in hers. "My dear Aunt Maria, " said she, "I would not dance to-night if there weretwenty to choose from. I should like nothing better than to look on withthese two. We are the best of friends already, " she added, turningtowards us, "are we not?" "We are indeed, " we hastened to assure her. Mrs. Cooke smiled. "You should have been a man, Marian, " she said as they went upstairstogether. We made our way to the galleried porch and sat down, there being a lullin the figures just then. We each took out a cigar and lighted a match;and then looked across at the other. We solemnly blew our matches out. "Perhaps she doesn't like smoke, " said Farrar, voicing the sentiment. "Perhaps not, " said I. Silence. "I wonder how she will get along with the Ten?" I queried. "Better than with us, " he answered in his usual strain. "They'retrained. " "Or with Allen?" I added irresistibly. "Women are all alike, " said Farrar. At this juncture Miss Thorn herself appeared at the end of the gallery, her shoulders wrapped in a gray cape trimmed with fur. She stoodregarding us with some amusement as we rose to receive her. "Light your cigars and be sensible, " said she, "or I shall go in. " We obeyed. The three of us turned to the window to watch the figure, themusic of which was just beginning. Mr. Cooke, with the air of an Englishsquire at his own hunt ball, was strutting contentedly up and down oneend of the room, now pausing to exchange a few hearty words with somePresbyterian matron from Asquith, now to congratulate Mr. Trevor on theappearance of his daughter. Lined against the opposite wall were theCelebrity and his ten red-coated followers, just rising for the figure. It was very plain that Miss Trevor was radiantly happy; she was easilythe handsomest girl in the room, and I could not help philosophizingwhen I saw her looking up into the Celebrity's eyes upon the seeminginconsistency of nature, who has armed and warned woman against all buther most dangerous enemy. And then a curious thing happened. The Celebrity, as if moved by asudden uncontrollable impulse, raised his eyes until they rested on thewindow in which we were. Although his dancing was perfect, he lost thestep without apparent cause, his expression changed, and for the momenthe seemed to be utterly confused. But only for the moment; in a trice hehad caught the time again and swept Miss Trevor rapidly down the room andout of sight. I looked instinctively at the girl beside me. She hadthrown her head forward, and in the streaming light I saw that her lipswere parted in a smile. I resolved upon a stroke. "Mr. Allen, " I remarked, "leads admirably. " "Mr. Allen!" she exclaimed, turning on me. "Yes, it is Mr. Allen who is leading, " I repeated. An expression of perplexity spread over her face, but she said nothing. My curiosity was aroused to a high pitch, and questions were rising to mylips which I repressed with difficulty. For Miss Thorn had displayed, purposely or not, a reticence which my short acquaintance with hercompelled me to respect; and, besides, I was bound by a promise not tobetray the Celebrity's secret. I was, however, convinced from what hadoccurred that she had met the Celebrity in the East, and perhaps knownhim. Had she fallen in love with him, as was the common fate of all youngwomen he met? I changed my opinion on this subject a dozen times. Now Iwas sure, as I looked at her, that she was far too sensible; again, adoubt would cross my mind as the Celebrity himself would cross my view, the girl on his arm reduced to adoration. I followed him narrowly whenin sight. Miss Thorn was watching him, too, her eyes half closed, asthough in thought. But beyond the fact that he threw himself into thedance with a somewhat increased fervor, perhaps, his manner betokened nouneasiness, and not even by a glance did he betray any disturbinginfluence from above. Thus we stood silently until the figure was finished, when Miss Thornseated herself in one of the wicker chairs behind us. "Doesn't it make you wish to dance?" said Farrar to her. "It is hardluck you should be doomed to spend the evening with two such uselessfellows as we are. " She did not catch his remark at first, as was natural in a personpreoccupied. Then she bit her lips to repress a smile. "I assure you, Mr. Farrar, " she said with force, "I have never in my lifewished to dance as little as I do now. " But a voice interrupted her, and the scarlet coat of the Celebrity wasthrust into the light between us. Farrar excused himself abruptly anddisappeared. "Never wished to dance less!" cried the Celebrity. "Upon my word, MissThorn, that's too bad. I came up to ask you to reconsider yourdetermination, as one of the girls from Asquith is leaving, and there isan extra man. " "You are very kind, " said Miss Thorn, quietly, "but I prefer to remainhere. " My surmise, then, was correct. She had evidently met the Celebrity, andthere was that in his manner of addressing her, without any formalgreeting, which seemed to point to a close acquaintance. "You know Mr. Allen, then, Miss Thorn?" said I. "What can you mean?" she exclaimed, wheeling on me; "this is not Mr. Allen. " "Hang you, Crocker, " the Celebrity put in impatiently; "Miss Thorn knowswho I am as well as you do. " "I confess it is a little puzzling, " said she; "perhaps it is because Iam tired from travelling, and my brain refuses to work. But why in thename of all that is strange do you call him Mr. Allen?" The Celebrity threw himself into the chair beside her and askedpermission to light a cigarette. "I am going to ask you the favor of respecting my incognito, Miss Thorn, as Crocker has done, " he said. "Crocker knew me in the East, too. I hadnot counted upon finding him at Asquith. " Miss Thorn straightened herself and made a gesture of impatience. "An incognito!" she cried. "But you have taken another man's name. Andyou already had his face and figure!" I jumped. "That is so, " he calmly returned; "the name was ready to hand, and so Itook it. I don't imagine it will make any difference to him. It's onlya whim of mine, and with me there's no accounting for a whim. I make ita point to gratify every one that strikes me. I confess to beingeccentric, you know. " "You must get an enormous amount of gratification out of this, " she saiddryly. "What if the other man should happen along?" "Scarcely at Asquith. " "I have known stranger things to occur, " said she. The Celebrity smiled and smoked. "I'll wager, now, " he went on, "that you little thought to find me hereincognito. But it is delicious, I assure you, to lead once more acommonplace and unmolested existence. " "Delightful, " said Miss Thorn. "People never consider an author apart from his work, you know, and Iconfess I had a desire to find out how I would get along. And therecomes a time when a man wishes he had never written a book, and a longingto be sought after for his own sake and to be judged on his own merits. And then it is a great relief to feel that one is not at the beck andcall of any one and every one wherever one goes, and to know that oneis free to choose one's own companions and do as one wishes. " "The sentiment is good, " Miss Thorn agreed, "very good. But doesn't itseem a little odd, Mr. Crocker, " she continued, appealing to me, "that aman should take the pains to advertise a trip to Europe in order togratify a whim of this sort?" "It is indeed incomprehensible to me, " I replied, with a kind of grimpleasure, "but you must remember that I have always led a commonplaceexistence. " Although the Celebrity was almost impervious to sarcasm, he was nowbeginning to exhibit visible signs of uneasiness, the consciousnessdawning upon him that his eccentricity was not receiving the ovation itmerited. It was with a palpable relief that he heard the first warningnotes of the figure. "Am I to understand that you wish me to do my part in concealing youridentity?" asked Miss Thorn, cutting him short as he was expressingpleasure at her arrival. "If you will be so kind, " he answered, and departed with a bow. There was a mischievous mirth in her eye as she took her place in thewindow. Below in the ball-room sat Miss Trevor surrounded by men, andI saw her face lighting at the Celebrity's approach. "Who is that beautiful girl he is dancing with?" said Miss Thorn. I told her. "Have you read his books?" she asked, after a pause. "Some of them. " "So have I. " The Celebrity was not mentioned again that evening. CHAPTER VI As an endeavor to unite Mohair and Asquith the cotillon had proved adismal failure. They were as the clay and the brass. The next morningAsquith was split into factions and rent by civil strife, and the porchof the inn was covered by little knots of women, all trying to talk atonce; their faces told an ominous tale. Not a man was to be seen. TheMinneapolis, St. Paul, and Chicago papers, all of which had previouslycontained elaborate illustrated accounts of Mr. Cooke's palatial park andresidence, came out that morning bristling with headlines about the ball, incidentally holding up the residents of a quiet and retiring littlecommunity in a light that scandalized them beyond measure. And Mr. Charles Wrexell Allen, treasurer of the widely known Miles StandishBicycle Company, was said to have led the cotillon in a manner that leftnothing to be desired. So it was this gentleman whom the Celebrity was personating! A queerwhim indeed. After that, I doubt if the court of Charles the Second was regarded bythe Puritans with a greater abhorrence than was Mohair by the good ladiesof Asquith. Mr. Cooke and his ten friends were branded as profligateswhose very scarlet coats bore witness that they were of the devil. Mr. Cooke himself, who particularly savored of brimstone, would much betterhave remained behind the arras, for he was denounced with such energy andbitterness that those who might have attempted his defence were silent, and their very silence told against them. Mr. Cooke had indeed outdonehimself in hospitality. He had posted punch-bowls in every availablecorner, and so industriously did he devote himself to the duties of host, as he conceived them, that as many as four of the patriarchs of Asquithand pillars of the church had returned home more or less insensible, while others were quite incoherent. The odds being overwhelming, themaster of Mohair had at length fallen a victim to his own good cheer. He took post with Judge Short at the foot of the stair, where, in spiteof the protests of the Celebrity and of other well-disposed persons, thetwo favored the parting guests with an occasional impromptu song andwaved genial good-byes to the ladies. And, when Mrs. Short attempted towalk by with her head in the air, as though the judge were in anadjoining county, he so far forgot his judicial dignity as to chuck herunder the chin, an act which was applauded with much boyish delight byMr. Cooke, and a remark which it is just as well not to repeat. Thejudge desired to spend the night at Mohair, but was afterwards taken homeby main force, and the next day his meals were brought up to him. It issmall wonder that Mrs. Short was looked upon as the head of the outragedparty. The Ten were only spoken of in whispers. Three of them had beenunable to come to time when the last figure was called, whereupon theirpartners were whisked off the scene without so much as being allowed topay their respects to the hostess. Besides these offences, there wereother minor barbarisms too numerous to mention. Although Mrs. Short's party was all-powerful at Asquith, there were somewho, for various reasons, refused to agree in the condemnation of Mr. Cooke. Judge Short and the other gentlemen in his position were, ofcourse, restricted, but Mr. Trevor came out boldly in the face of severecriticism and declared that his daughter should accept any invitationfrom Mrs. Cooke that she chose, and paid but little attention to thecoolness resulting therefrom. He was fast getting a reputation foroddity. And the Celebrity tried to conciliate both parties, andsucceeded, though none but he could have done it. At first he was eyedwith suspicion and disgust as he drove off to Mohair in his Hempsteadcart, and was called many hard names. But he had a way about him whichwon them in the end. A few days later I ran over to Mohair and found my client with thecolored Sunday supplement of a Chicago newspaper spread out before him, eyeing the page with something akin to childish delight. I discoveredthat it was a picture of his own hunt ball, and as a bit of color it wasmarvellous, the scarlet coats being very much in evidence. "There, old man!" he exclaimed. "What do you think of that? Somethingof a sendoff, eh?" And he pointed to a rather stout and importantgentleman in the foreground. "That's me!" he said proudly, "and theywouldn't do that for Farquhar Fenelon Cooke in Philadelphia. " "A prophet is without honor in his own country, " I remarked. "I don't set up for a prophet, " said Mr. Cooke, "but I did predict that Iwould start a ripple here, didn't I?" I did not deny this. "How do I stand over there?" he inquired, designating Asquith by a twistof the head. "I hear they're acting all over the road; that they thinkI'm the very devil. " "Well, your stock has dropped some, I admit, " I answered. "They didn'ttake kindly to your getting the judge drunk, you know. " "They oughtn't to complain about that, " said my client; "and besides, hewasn't drunk enough to amount to anything. " "However that may be, " said I, "you have the credit for leading himastray. But there is a split in your favor. " "I'm glad to know that, " he said, brightening; "then I won't have toimport any more. " "Any more what?" I asked. "People from the East to keep things moving, of course. What I have hereand those left me at the inn ought to be enough to run through the summerwith. Don't you think so?" I thought so, and was moving off when he called me back. "Is the judge locked up, old man?" he demanded. "He's under rather close surveillance, " I replied, smiling. "Crocker;" he said confidentially, "see if you can't smuggle him overhere some day soon. The judge always holds good cards, and plays anumber one hand. " I promised, and escaped. On the veranda I came upon Miss Thornsurrounded by some of her uncle's guests. I imagine that she was bored, for she looked it. "Mr. Crocker, " she called out, "you're just the man I have been wishingto see. " The others naturally took this for a dismissal, and she was not long incoming to her point when we were alone. "What is it you know about this queer but gifted genius who is here somysteriously?" she asked. "Nothing whatever, " I confessed. "I knew him before he thought ofbecoming a genius. " "Retrogression is always painful, " she said; "but tell me something abouthim then. " I told her all I knew, being that narrated in these pages. "Now, "said I, "if you will pardon a curiosity on my part, from what yousaid the other evening I inferred that he closely resembles the manwhose name it pleased him to assume. And that man, I learn from thenewspapers, is Mr. Charles Wrexell Allen of the 'Miles Standish BicycleCompany. '" Miss Thorn made a comic gesture of despair. "Why he chose Mr. Allen's name, " she said, "is absolutely beyond myguessing. Unless there is some purpose behind the choice, which I do notfor an instant believe, it was a foolish thing to do, and one very apt tolead to difficulties. I can understand the rest. He has a reputationfor eccentricity which he feels he must keep up, and this notion ofassuming a name evidently appealed to him as an inspiration. " "But why did he come out here?" I asked. "Can you tell me that?" Miss Thorn flushed slightly, and ignored the question. "I met the 'Celebrity, ' as you call him, " she said, "for the first timelast winter, and I saw him frequently during the season. Of courseI had heard not a little about him and his peculiarities. His name seemsto have gone the length and breadth of the land. And, like most girls, I had read his books and confess I enjoyed them. It is not too much tosay, " she added archly, "that I made a sort of archangel out of theauthor. " "I can understand that, " said I. "But that did not last, " she continued hastily. "I see I have got besidemy story. I saw a great deal of him in New York. He came to call, and Ibelieve I danced with him once or twice. And then my aunt, Mrs. Rivers, bought a place near Epsom, in Massachusetts, and had a house party therein May. And the Celebrity was invited. " I smiled. "Oh, I assure you it was a mere chance, " said Miss Thorn. "I mentionthis that I may tell you the astonishing part of it all. Epsom is one ofthose smoky manufacturing towns one sees in New England, and the 'MilesStandish' bicycle is made there. The day after we all arrived at myaunt's a man came up the drive on a wheel whom I greeted in a friendlyway and got a decidedly uncertain bow in return. "I thought it rather a strange shift from a marked cordiality, and spokeof the circumstance to my aunt, who was highly amused. 'Why, my dear, 'said she, 'that was Mr. Allen, of the bicycle company. I was nearlydeceived myself. '" "And is the resemblance so close as that?" I exclaimed. "So close! Believe me, they are as like as two ices from a mould. Ofcourse, when they are together one can distinguish the Celebrity from thebicycle man. The Celebrity's chin is a little more square, and his nosestraighter, and there are other little differences. I believe Mr. Allenhas a slight scar on his forehead. But the likeness was remarkable, nevertheless, and it grew to be a standing joke with us. They actuallydressed ludicrously alike. The Celebrity became so sensitive about itthat he went back to New York before the party broke up. We grew to bequite fond of the bicycle man. " She paused and shifted her chair, which had rocked close to mine. "And can you account for his coming to Asquith?" I asked innocently. She was plainly embarrassed. "I suppose I might account for it, Mr. Crocker, " she replied. Then sheadded, with something of an impulse, "After all, it is foolish of me notto tell you. You probably know the Celebrity well enough to have learnedthat he takes idiotic fancies to young women. " "Not always idiotic, " I protested. "You mean that the young women are not always idiotic, I suppose. No, not always, but nearly always. I imagine he got the idea of coming toAsquith, " she went on with a change of manner, "because I chanced tomention that I was coming out here on a visit. " "Oh, " I remarked, and there words failed me. Her mouth was twitching with merriment. "I am afraid you will have to solve the rest of it for yourself, Mr. Crocker, " said she; "that is all of my contribution. My uncle tells meyou are the best lawyer in the country, and I am surprised that you areso slow in getting at motives. " And I did attempt to solve it on my way back to Asquith. The conclusionI settled to, everything weighed, was this: that the Celebrity had becomeinfatuated with Miss Thorn (I was far from blaming him for that) and hadfollowed her first to Epsom and now to Asquith. And he had chosen tocome West incognito partly through the conceit which he admitted andgloried in, and partly because he believed his prominence sufficient toobtain for him an unpleasant notoriety if he continued long enough totrack the same young lady about the country. Hence he had taken thetrouble to advertise a trip abroad to account for his absence. Undoubtedly his previous conquests had been made more easily, for mysecond talk with Miss Thorn had put my mind at rest as to her havingfallen a victim to his fascinations. Her arrival at Mohair beingdelayed, the Celebrity had come nearly a month too soon, and in theinterval that tendency of which he was the dupe still led him by thenose; he must needs make violent love to the most attractive girl on theground, --Miss Trevor. Now that one still more attractive had arrivedI was curious to see how he would steer between the two, for I made nodoubt that matters had progressed rather far with Miss Trevor. And inthis I was not mistaken. But his choice of the name of Charles Wrexell Allen bothered meconsiderably. I finally decided that he had taken it because convenient, and because he believed Asquith to be more remote from the East than theSandwich Islands. Reaching the inn grounds, I climbed the hillside to a favorite haunt ofmine, a huge boulder having a sloping back covered with soft turf. HenceI could watch indifferently both lake and sky. Presently, however, I wasaroused by voices at the foot of the rock, and peering over the edge Idiscovered a kind of sewing-circle gathered there. The foliage hid mecompletely. I perceived the Celebrity perched upon the low branch of anapple-tree, and Miss Trevor below him, with two other girls, doingfancy-work. I shall not attempt to defend the morality of my action, butI could not get away without discovery, and the knowledge that I hadheard a part of their conversation might prove disquieting to them. The Celebrity had just published a book, under the title of 'TheSybarites', which was being everywhere discussed; and Asquith, wheresummer reading was general, came in for its share of the debate. Why itwas called The Sybarites I have never discovered. I did not read thebook because I was sick and tired of the author and his nonsense, but Iimbibed, in spite of myself, something of the story and its moral fromhearing it talked about. The Celebrity himself had listened to argumentson the subject with great serenity, and was nothing loth to give hisopinion when appealed to. I realized at once that 'The Sybarites' wasthe present topic. "Yes, it is rather an uncommon book, " he was saying languidly, "but thereis no use writing a story unless it is uncommon. " "Dear, how I should like to meet the author!" exclaimed a voice. "He must be a charming man, and so young, too! I believe you saidyou knew him, Mr. Allen. " "An old acquaintance, " he answered, "and I am always reminding him thathis work is overestimated. " "How can you say he is overestimated!" said a voice. "You men are all jealous of him, " said another. "Is he handsome? I have heard he is. " "He would scarcely be called so, " said the Celebrity, doubtfully. "He is, girls, " Miss Trevor interposed; "I have seen his photograph. " "What does he look like, Irene?" they chorused. "Men are no judges. " "He is tall, and dark, and broad-shouldered, " Miss Trevor enumerated, as though counting her stitches, "and he has a very firm chin, and astraight nose, and--" "Perfect!" they cried. "I had an idea he was just like that. I shouldgo wild about him. Does he talk as well as he writes, Mr. Allen?" "That is admitting that he writes well. " "Admitting?" they shouted scornfully, "and don't you admit it?" "Some people like his writing, I have to confess, " said the Celebrity, with becoming calmness; "certainly his personality could not sell anedition of thirty thousand in a month. I think 'The Sybarites' the bestof his works. " "Upon my word, Mr. Allen, I am disgusted with you, " said the secondvoice; "I have not found a man yet who would speak a good word for him. But I did not think it of you. " A woman's tongue, like a firearm, is a dangerous weapon, and oftenstrikes where it is least expected. I saw with a wicked delight that theshot had told, for the Celebrity blushed to the roots of his hair, whileMiss Trevor dropped three or four stitches. "I do not see how you can expect men to like 'The Sybarites', " she said, with some heat; "very few men realize or care to realize what a smallchance the average woman has. I know marriage isn't a necessary goal, but most women, as well as most men, look forward to it at some time oflife, and, as a rule, a woman is forced to take her choice of the two orthree men that offer themselves, no matter what they are. I admire a manwho takes up the cudgels for women, as he has done. " "Of course we admire him, " they cried, as soon as Miss Trevor had stoppedfor breath. "And can you expect a man to like a book which admits that women are themore constant?" she went on. "Why, Irene, you are quite rabid on the subject, " said the second voice;"I did not say I expected it. I only said I had hoped to find Mr. Allen, at least, broad enough to agree with the book. " "Doesn't Mr. Allen remind you a little of Desmond?" asked the firstvoice, evidently anxious to avoid trouble. "Do you know whom he took for Desmond, Mr. Allen? I have an idea it washimself. " Mr. Allen, had now recovered some of his composure. "If so, it was done unconsciously, " he said. "I suppose an author mustput his best thoughts in the mouth of his hero. " "But it is like him?" she insisted. "Yes, he holds the same views. " "Which you do not agree with. " "I have not said I did not agree with them, " he replied, taking up hisown defence; "the point is not that men are more inconstant than women, but that women have more excuse for inconstancy. If I remembercorrectly, Desmond, in a letter to Rosamond, says: 'Inconstancy in awoman, because of the present social conditions, is often pardonable. Ina man, nothing is more despicable. ' I think that is so. I believe thata man should stick by the woman to whom he has given his word as closelyas he sticks by his friends. " "Ah!" exclaimed the aggressive second voice, "that is all very well. Buthow about the woman to whom he has not given his word? Unfortunately, the present social conditions allow a man to go pretty far without adefinite statement. " At this I could not refrain from looking at Miss Trevor. She was bendingover her knitting and had broken her thread. "It is presumption for a man to speak without some foundation, " said theCelebrity, "and wrong unless he is sure of himself. " "But you must admit, " the second voice continued, "that a man has noright to amuse himself with a woman, and give her every reason to believehe is going to marry her save the only manly and substantial one. Andyet that is something which happens every day. What do you think of aman who deserts a woman under those conditions?" "He is a detestable dog, of course, " declared the Celebrity. And the cock in the inn yard was silent. "I should love to be able to quote from a book at will, " said thequieting voice, for the sake of putting an end to an argument which bidfair to become disagreeable. "How do you manage to do it?" "It was simply a passage that stuck in my mind, " he answered modestly;"when I read a book I pick them up just as a roller picks up a sod hereand there as it moves over the lawn. " "I should think you might write, Mr. Allen, you have such an original wayof putting things!" "I have thought of it, " returned the Celebrity, "and I may, some fineday. " Wherewith he thrust his hands into his pockets and sauntered off withequanimity undisturbed, apparently unaware of the impression he had leftbehind him. And the Fifth Reader story popped into my head of good KingWilliam (or King Frederick, I forgot which), who had a royal fancy forlaying aside the gayeties of the court and straying incognito among hisplainer subjects, but whose princely origin was invariably detected inspite of any disguise his Majesty could invent. CHAPTER VII I experienced a great surprise a few mornings afterwards. I had risenquite early, and found the Celebrity's man superintending the hoisting ofluggage on top of a van. "Is your master leaving?" I asked. "He's off to Mohair now, sir, " said the valet, with a salute. At that instant the Celebrity himself appeared. "Yes, old chap, I'm off to Mohair, " he explained. "There's more sport ina day up there than you get here in a season. Beastly slow place, this, unless one is a deacon or a doctor of divinity. Why don't you come up, Crocker? Cooke would like nothing better; he has told me so a dozentimes. " "He is very good, " I replied. I could not resist the temptation to add, "I had an idea Asquith rather suited your purposes just now. " "I don't quite understand, " he said, jumping at the other half of mymeaning. "Oh, nothing. But you told me when you came here, if I am not mistaken, that you chose Asquith because of those very qualities for which you nowcondemn it. " "Magna est vis consuetudinis, " he laughed; "I thought I could stand thelife, but I can't. I am tired of their sects and synods and sermons. Bythe way, " said he pulling at my sleeve, "what a deuced pretty girl thatMiss Thorn is! Isn't she? Rollins, where's the cart? Well, good-bye, Crocker; see you soon. " He drove rapidly off as the clock struck six, and an uneasy glance hegave the upper windows did not escape me. When Farrar appeared, I toldhim what had happened. "Good riddance, " he replied sententiously. We sat in silence until the bell rang, looking at the morning sun on thelake. I was a little anxious to learn the state of Farrar's feelings inregard to Miss Trevor, and how this new twist in affairs had affectedthem. But I might as well have expected one of King Louis's carp towhisper secrets of the old regime. The young lady came to thebreakfast-table looking so fresh and in such high spirits that I madesure she had not heard of the Celebrity's ignoble escape. As the mealproceeded it was easy to mark that her eye now and again fell across hisempty chair, and glanced inquiringly towards the door. I made up my mindthat I would not be the bearer of evil news, and so did Farrar, so wekept up a vapid small-talk with Mr. Trevor on the condition of trade inthe West. Miss Trevor, however, in some way came to suspect that wecould account for that vacant seat. At last she fixed her eyeinquiringly on me, and I trembled. "Mr. Crocker, " she began, and paused. Then she added with a fairunconcern, "do you happen to know where Mr. Allen is this morning?" "He has gone over to Mohair, I believe, " I replied weakly. "To Mohair!" she exclaimed, putting down her cup; "why, he promised togo canoeing at ten. "Probably he will be back by then, " I ventured, not finding it in myheart to tell her the cruel truth. But I kept my eyes on my plate. Theysay a lie has short legs. Mine had, for my black friend, Simpson, was atthat instant taking off the fruit, and overheard my remark. "Mr. Allen done gone for good, " he put in, "done give me five dollarslast night. Why, sah, " he added, scratching his head, "you was on depoch dis mornin' when his trunks was took away!" It was certainly no time to quibble then. "His trunks!" Miss Trevor exclaimed. "Yes, he has left us and gone to Mohair, " I said, "bag and baggage. Thatis the flat truth of it. " I suppose there is some general rule for calculating beforehand how ayoung woman is going to act when news of this sort is broken. I had nonotion of what Miss Trevor would do. I believe Farrar thought she wouldfaint, for he laid his napkin on the table. She did nothing of the kind, but said simply: "How unreliable men are!" I fell to guessing what her feelings were; for the life of me I could nottell from her face. I was sorry for Miss Trevor in spite of the factthat she had neglected to ask my advice before falling in love with theCelebrity. I asked her to go canoeing with me. She refused kindly butvery firmly. It is needless to say that the Celebrity did not come back to the inn, and as far as I could see the desertion was designed, cold-blooded, andcomplete. Miss Trevor remained out of sight during the day of hisdeparture, and at dinner we noticed traces of a storm about her, --a stormwhich had come and gone. There was an involuntary hush as she enteredthe dining-room, for Asquith had been buzzing that afternoon over theepisode. And I admired the manner in which she bore her inspection. Already rumors of the cause of Mr. Allen's departure were in activecirculation, and I was astonished to learn that he had been seen that dayseated upon Indian rock with Miss Thorn herself. This piece of news gaveme a feeling of insecurity about people, and about women in particular, that I had never before experienced. After holding the Celebrity up tosuch unmeasured ridicule as she had done, ridicule not without aseasoning of contempt, it was difficult to believe Miss Thorn soinconsistent as to go alone with him to Indian rock; and she was notignorant of Miss Trevor's experience. But the fact was attested bytrustworthy persons. I have often wondered what prompted me to ask Miss Trevor again to gocanoeing. To do myself justice, it was no wish of mine to meddle with orpry into her affairs. Neither did I flatter myself that my poor companywould be any consolation for that she had lost. I shall not try toanalyze my motive. Suffice it to record that she accepted this secondinvitation, and I did my best to amuse her by relating a few of myexperiences at the bar, and I told that memorable story of Farrarthrowing O'Meara into the street. We were getting along famously, when we descried another canoe passing us at some distance, and we bothrecognized the Celebrity at the paddle by the flannel jacket of hiscollege boat club. And Miss Thorn sat in the bow! "Do you know anything about that man, Miss Trevor?" I asked abruptly. She grew scarlet, but replied: "I know that he is a fraud. " "Anything else?" "I can't say that I do; that is, nothing but what he has told me. " "If you will forgive my curiosity, " I said, "what has he told you?" "He says he is the author of The Sybarites, " she answered, her lipcurling, "but of course I do not believe that, now. " "But that happens to be true, " I said, smiling. She clapped her hands. "I promised him I wouldn't tell, " she cried, "but the minute I get backto the inn I shall publish it. " "No, don't do that just yet, " said I. "Why not? Of course I shall. " I had no definite reason, only a vague hope that we should get somebetter sort of enjoyment out of the disclosure before the summer wasover. "You see, " I said, "he is always getting into scrapes; he is that kind ofa man. And it is my humble opinion that he has put his head into a noosethis time, for sure. Mr. Allen, of the 'Miles Standish BicycleCompany, ' whose name he has borrowed for the occasion, is enough likehim in appearance to be his twin brother. " "He has borrowed another man's name!" she exclaimed; "why, that'sstealing!" "No, merely kleptomania, " I replied; "he wouldn't be the other man if hecould. But it has struck me that the real Mr. Allen might turn up here, or some friend of his, and stir things a bit. My advice to you is tokeep quiet, and we may have a comedy worth seeing. " "Well, " she remarked, after she had got over a little of herastonishment, "it would be great fun to tell, but I won't if you say so. " I came to, have a real liking for Miss Trevor. Farrar used to smile whenI spoke of this, and I never could induce him to go out with us in thecanoe, which we did frequently, --in fact, every day I was at Asquith, except of course Sundays. And we grew to understand each other verywell. She looked upon me in the same light as did my other friends, --that of a counsellor-at-law, --and I fell unconsciously into the role ofher adviser, in which capacity I was the recipient of many confidences Iwould have got in no other way. That is, in no other way save one, andin that I had no desire to go, even had it been possible. Miss Trevorwas only nineteen, and in her eyes I was at least sixty. "See here, Miss Trevor, " I said to her one day after we had become moreor less intimate, "of course it's none of my business, but you didn'tfeel very badly after the Celebrity went away, did you?" Her reply was frank and rather staggering. "Yes, I did. I was engaged to him, you know. " "Engaged to him! I had no idea he ever got that far, " I exclaimed. Miss Trevor laughed merrily. "It was my fault, " she said; "I pinned him down, and he had to propose. There was no way out of it. I don't mind telling you. " I did not know whether to be flattered or aggrieved by this avowal. "You know, " she went on, her tone half apologetic, "the day after he camehe told me who he was, and I wanted to stop the people we passed andinform them of the lion I was walking with. And I was quite carried awayby the honor of his attentions: any girl would have been, you know. " "I suppose so, " I assented. "And I had heard and read so much of him, and I doted on his stories, andall that. His heroes are divine, you must admit. And, Mr. Crocker, " sheconcluded with a charming naivety, "I just made up my mind I would havehim. " "Woman proposes, and man disposes, " I laughed. "He escaped in spite ofyou. " She looked at me queerly. "Only a jest, " I said hurriedly; "your escape is the one to be thankfulfor. You might have married him, like the young woman in The Sybarites. You remember, do you not, that the hero of that book sacrifices himselffor the lady who adores him, but whom he has ceased to adore?" "Yes, I remember, " she laughed; "I believe I know that book by heart. " "Think of the countless girls he must have relieved of their affectionsbefore their eyes were opened, " I continued with mock gravity. "Think ofthe charred trail he has left behind him. A man of that sort ought to beput under heavy bonds not to break any more hearts. But a kleptomaniacisn't responsible, you understand. And it isn't worth while to bear anymalice. " "Oh, I don't bear any malice now, " she said. "I did at first, naturally. But it all seems very ridiculous now I have had time to thinkit over. I believe, Mr. Crocker, that I never really cared for him. " "Simply an idol shattered this time, " I suggested, "and not a heartbroken. " "Yes, that's it, " said she. "I am glad to hear it, " said I, much pleased that she had taken such asensible view. "But you are engaged to him. " "I was. " "You have broken the engagement, then?" "No, I--haven't, " she said. "Then he has broken it?" She did not appear to resent this catechism. "That's the strange part of it, " said Miss Trevor, "he hasn't eventhought it necessary. " "It is clear, then, that you are still engaged to him, " said I, smilingat her blank face. "I suppose I am, " she cried. "Isn't it awful? What shall I do, Mr. Crocker? You are so sensible, and have had so much experience. " "I beg your pardon, " I remarked grimly. "Oh, you know what I mean: not that kind of experience, of course. Butbreach of promise cases and that sort of thing. I have a photograph ofhim with something written over it. " "Something compromising?" I inquired. "Yes, you would probably call it so, " she answered, reddening. "Butthere is no need of my repeating it. And then I have a lot of otherthings. If I write to break off the engagement I shall lose dignity, andit will appear as though I had regrets. I don't wish him to think that, of all things. What shall I do?" "Do nothing, " I said. "What do you mean?" "Just that. Do not break the engagement, and keep the photograph andother articles for evidence. If he makes any overtures, don't considerthem for an instant. And I think, Miss Trevor, you will succeed sooneror later in making him very uncomfortable. Were he any one else Ishouldn't advise such a course, but you won't lose any dignity andself-respect by it, as no one will be likely to hear of it. He can't betaken seriously, and plainly he has never taken any one else so. Hehasn't even gone to the trouble to notify you that he does not intendmarrying you. " I saw from her expression that my suggestion was favorably entertained. "What a joke it would be!" she cried delightedly. "And a decided act of charity, " I added, "to the next young woman on hislist. " CHAPTER VIII The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than Ihad looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again;for, even after she had conquered her love for the Celebrity, themortification of having been jilted by him remained. Now she had cometo look upon the matter in its true proportions, and her anticipation ofa possible chance of teaching him a lesson was a pleasure to behold. Ourtable in the dining-room became again the abode of scintillating wit andcaustic repartee, Farrar bracing up to his old standard, and the demandfor seats in the vicinity rose to an animated competition. Mr. CharlesWrexell Allen's chair was finally awarded to a nephew of Judge Short, whocould turn a story to perfection. So life at the inn settled down again to what it had been before theCelebrity came to disturb it. I had my own reasons for staying away from Mohair. More than once as Idrove over to the county-seat in my buggy I had met the Celebrity on atall tandem cart, with one of Mr. Cooke's high-steppers in the lead, andMiss Thorn in the low seat. I had forgotten to mention that my friendwas something of a whip. At such times I would bow very civilly and passon; not without a twinge, I confess. And as the result of one of thesemeetings I had to retrace several miles of my road for a brief I hadforgotten. After that I took another road, several miles longer, for thesight of Miss Thorn with him seriously disturbed my peace of mind. But at length the day came, as I had feared, when circumstances forced meto go to my client's place. One morning Miss Trevor and I were aboutstepping into the canoe for our customary excursion when one of Mr. Cooke's footmen arrived with a note for each of us. They were from Mrs. Cooke, and requested the pleasure of our company that day for luncheon. "If you were I, would you go?" Miss Trevor asked doubtfully. "Of course, " I replied. "But the consequences may be unpleasant. " "Don't let them, " I said. "Of what use is tact to a woman if not forjust such occasions?" My invitation had this characteristic note tacked on the end of it "DEAR CROCKER: Where are you? Where is the judge? F. F. C. " I corralled the judge, and we started off across the fields, in no verymild state of fear of that gentleman's wife, whose vigilance was seldomrelaxed. And thus we came by a circuitous route to Mohair, the judgeoccupied by his own guilty thoughts, and I by others not less disturbing. My client welcomed the judge with that warmth of manner which grappled somany of his friends to his heart, and they disappeared together into theEthiopian card-room, which was filled with the assegais and exclamationpoint shields Mr. Cooke had had made at the Sawmill at Beaverton. I learned from one of the lords-in-waiting loafing about the hall thatMrs. Cooke was out on the golf links, chaperoning some of the Asquithyoung women whose mothers had not seen fit to ostracize Mohair. Mr. Cooke's ten friends were with them. But this discreet and dignifiedservant could not reveal the whereabouts of Miss Thorn and of Mr. Allen, both of whom I was decidedly anxious to avoid. I was much disgusted, therefore, to come upon the Celebrity in the smoking-room, writingrapidly, with, sheets of manuscript piled beside him. And he was quitegood-natured over my intrusion. "No, " said he, "don't go. It's only a short story I promised for aChristmas number. They offered me fifteen cents a word and promised toput my name on the cover in red, so I couldn't very well refuse. It's noinspiration, though, I tell you that. " He rose and pressed a bell behindhim and ordered whiskeys and ginger ales, as if he were in a hotel. "Sitdown, Crocker, " he said, waving me to a morocco chair. "Why don't youcome over to see us oftener?" "I've been quite busy, " I said. This remark seemed to please him immensely. "What a sly old chap you are, " said he; "really, I shall have to go backto the inn and watch you. " "What the deuce do you mean?" I demanded. He looked me over in well-bred astonishment and replied: "Hang me, Crocker, if I can make you out. You seem to know the worldpretty well, and yet when a fellow twits you on a little flirtation youact as though you were going to black his eyes. " "A little flirtation!" I repeated, aghast. "Oh, well, " he said, smiling, "we won't quarrel over a definition. Callit anything you like. " "Don't you think this a little uncalled for?" I asked, beginning to losemy temper. "Bless you, no. Not among friends: not among such friends as we are. " "I didn't know we were such devilish good friends, " I retorted warmly. "Oh, yes, we are, devilish good friends, " he answered with assurance;"known each other from boyhood, and all that. And I say, old chap, " headded, "you needn't be jealous of me, you know. I got out of that longago. And I'm after something else now. " For a space I was speechless. Then the ludicrous side of the matterstruck me, and I laughed in spite of myself. Better, after all, todeal with a fool according to his folly. The Celebrity glanced at thedoor and drew his chair closer to mine. "Crocker, " he said confidentially, "I'm glad you came here to-day. Thereis a thing or two I wished to consult you about. " "Professional?" I asked, trying to head him off. "No, " he replied, "amateur, --beastly amateur. A bungle, if I ever madeone. The truth is, I executed rather a faux pas over there at Asquith. Tell me, " said he, diving desperately at the root of it, "how does MissTrevor feel about my getting out? I meant to let her down easier; 'ponmy word, I did. " This is a way rascals have of judging other men by themselves. "Well;" said I, "it was rather a blow, of course. " "Of course, " he assented. "And all the more unexpected, " I went on, "from a man who has writtenreams on constancy. " I flatter myself that this nearly struck home, for he was plainlyannoyed. "Oh, bother that!" said he. "How many gowns believe in their ownsermons? How many lawyers believe in their own arguments?" "Unhappily, not as many as might. " "I don't object to telling you, old chap, " he continued, "that I went ina little deeper than I intended. A good deal deeper, in fact. MissTrevor is a deuced fine girl, and all that; but absolutely impossible. I forgot myself, and I confess I was pretty close to caught. " "I congratulate you, " I said gravely. "That's the point of it. I don't know that I'm out of the woods yet. I wanted to see you and find out how she was acting. " My first impulse was to keep him in hot water. Fortunately I thoughttwice. "I don't know anything about Miss Trevor's feelings--" I began. "Naturally not--" he interrupted, with a smile. "But I have a notion that, if she ever fancied you, she doesn't care astraw for you to-day. " "Doesn't she now, " he replied somewhat regretfully. Here was one of theknots in his character I never could untie. "Understand, that is simply my guess, " I said. "You must have discoveredthat it is never possible to be sure of a woman's feelings. " "Found that out long ago, " he replied with conviction, and added:"Then you think I need not anticipate any trouble from her?" "I have told you what I think, " I answered; "you know better than I whatthe situation is. " He still lingered. "Does she appear to be in, --ah, --in good spirits?" I had work to keep my face straight. "Capital, " I said; "I never saw her happier. " This seemed to satisfy him. "Downcast at first, happy now, " he remarked thoughtfully. "Yes, she gotover it. I'm much obliged to you, Crocker. " I left him to finish his short story and walked out across the circle ofsmooth lawn towards the golf links. And there I met Mrs. Cooke and herniece coming in together. The warm red of her costume became Miss Thornwonderfully, and set off the glossy black of her hair. And her skin wasglowing from the exercise. An involuntary feeling of admiration for thistall, athletic young woman swept over me, and I halted in my steps for noother reason, I believe, than that I might look upon her the longer. What man, I thought resentfully, would not travel a thousand miles to benear her? "It is Mr. Crocker, " said Mrs. Cooke; "I had given up all hope of everseeing you again. Why have you been such a stranger?" "As if you didn't know, Aunt Maria, " Miss Thorn put in gayly. "Oh yes, I know, " returned her aunt, "and I have not been foolish enoughto invite the bar without the magnet. And yet, Mr. Crocker, " she went onplayfully, "I had imagined that you were the one man in a hundred who didnot need an inducement. " Miss Thorn began digging up the turf with her lofter: it was a painfulmoment for me. "You might at least have tried me, Mrs. Cooke, " I said. Miss Thorn looked up quickly from the ground, her eyes searchingly uponmy face. And Mrs. Cooke seemed surprised. "We are glad you came, at any rate, " she answered. And at luncheon my seat was next to Miss Thorn's, while the Celebrity wasplaced at the right of Miss Trevor. I observed that his face went blankfrom time to time at some quip of hers: even a dull woman may be sharpunder such circumstances, and Miss Trevor had wits to spare. And Imarked that she never allowed her talk with him to drift into deep water;when there was danger of this she would draw the entire table into theirconversation by some adroit remark, or create a laugh at his expense. As for me, I held a discreet if uncomfortable silence, save for the fewwords which passed between Miss Thorn and me. Once or twice I caught hercovert glance on me. But I felt, and strongly, that there could be nofriendship between us now, and I did not care to dissimulate merely forthe sake of appearances. Besides, I was not a little put out over thesenseless piece of gossip which had gone abroad concerning me. It had been arranged as part of the day's programme that Mr. Cooke was todrive those who wished to go over the Rise in his new brake. But thetable was not graced by our host's presence, Mrs. Cooke apologizing forhim, explaining that he had disappeared quite mysteriously. It turnedout that he and the judge had been served with luncheon in the Ethiopiancard-room, and neither threats nor fair words could draw him away. Thejudge had not held such cards for years, and it was in vain that I talkedto him of consequences. The Ten decided to remain and watch a game whichwas pronounced little short of phenomenal, and my client gave orders forthe smaller brake and requested the Celebrity to drive. And this he wasnothing loth to do. For the edification as well as the assurance of theparty Mr. Allen explained, while we were waiting under the porte cochere, how he had driven the Windsor coach down Piccadilly at the height of theseason, with a certain member of Parliament and noted whip on the boxseat. And, to do him justice, he could drive. He won the instant respect ofMr. Cooke's coachman by his manner of taking up the lines, and clinchedit when he dropped a careless remark concerning the off wheeler. Andafter the critical inspection of the horses which is proper he climbed upon the box. There was much hesitation among the ladies as to who shouldtake the seat of honor: Mrs. Cooke declining, it was pressed upon MissThorn. But she, somewhat to my surprise, declined also, and it wasfinally filled by a young woman from Asquith. As we drove off I found myself alone with Mrs. Cooke's niece on the seatbehind. The day was cool and snappy for August, and the Rise all green with alavish nature. Now we, plunged into a deep shade with the boughs lacingeach other overhead, and crossed dainty, rustic bridges over the coldtrout-streams, the boards giving back the clatter of our horses' feet: oranon we shot into a clearing, with a colored glimpse of the lake and itscurving shore far below us. I had always loved that piece of countrysince the first look I had of it from the Asquith road, and the sight ofit rarely failed to set my blood a-tingle with pleasure. But to-day Iscarcely saw it. I wondered what whim had impelled Miss Thorn to getinto this seat. She paid but little attention to me during the firstpart of the drive, though a mere look in my direction seemed to affordher amusement. And at last, half way up the Rise, where the road takesto an embankment, I got a decided jar. "Mr. Allen, " she cried to the Celebrity, "you must stop here. Do youremember how long we tarried over this bit on Friday?" He tightened the lines and threw a meaning glance backward. I was tempted to say: "You and Mr. Allen should know these roads rather well, Miss Thorn. " "Every inch of them, " she replied. We must have gone a mile farther when she turned upon me. "It is your duty to be entertaining, Mr. Crocker. What in the world areyou thinking of, with your brow all puckered up, forbidding as an owl?" "I was thinking how some people change, " I answered, with a readinesswhich surprised me. "Strange, " she said, "I had the same thing in mind. I hear decidedlyqueer tales of you; canoeing every day that business does not prevent, and whole evenings spent at the dark end of a veranda. " "What rubbish!" I exclaimed, not knowing whether to be angered or amused. "Come, sir, " she said, with mock sternness, "answer the charge. Guiltyor not guilty?" "First let me make a counter-charge, " said I; "you have given me theright. Not long ago a certain young lady came to Mohair and found therea young author of note with whom she had had some previous acquaintance. She did not hesitate to intimate her views on the character of thisCelebrity, and her views were not favorable. " I paused. There was some satisfaction in seeing Miss Thorn biting herlip. "Well?" "Not at all favorable, mind you, " I went on. "And the young lady'sgeneral appearance was such as to lead one to suppose her the sincerestof persons. Now I am at a loss to account for a discrepancy between herwords and her actions. " While I talked Miss Thorn's face had been gradually turning from mineuntil now I saw only the dainty knot at the back of her head. Hershoulders were quivering with laughter. But presently her face came backall gravity, save a suspicious gleam of mirth in the eyes. "It does seem inconsistent, Mr. Crocker; I grant you that. No doubt itis so. But let me ask you something: did you ever yet know a woman whowas not inconsistent?" I did not realize I had been side-tracked until I came to think over thisconversation afterwards. "I am not sure, " I replied. "Perhaps I merely hoped that one suchexisted. " She dropped her eyes. "Then don't be surprised at my failing, " said she. "No doubt Icriticised the Celebrity severely. I cannot recall what I said. But it is upon the better side of a character that we must learn to look. Did it ever strike you that the Celebrity had some exceedingly finequalities?" "No, it did not, " I answered positively. "Nevertheless, he has, " she went on, in all apparent seriousness. "He drives almost as well as Uncle Farquhar, dances well, and is acapital paddle. " "You were speaking of qualities, not accomplishments, " I said. A horrible suspicion that she was having a little fun at my expensecrossed my mind. Very good, then. You must admit that he is generous to a fault, amiable;and persevering, else he would never have attained the position heenjoys. And his affection for you, Mr. Crocker, is really touching, considering how little he gets in return. " "Come, Miss Thorn, " I said severely, "this is ridiculous. I don't likehim, and never shall. I liked him once, before he took to writingdrivel. But he must have been made over since then. And what is more, with all respect to your opinion, I don't believe he likes me. " Miss Thorn straightened up with dignity and said: "You do him an injustice. But perhaps you will learn to appreciate himbefore he leaves Mohair. " "That is not likely, " I replied--not at all pleasantly, I fear. Andagain I thought I observed in her the same desire to laugh she had beforeexhibited. And all the way back her talk was of nothing except the Celebrity. I tried every method short of absolute rudeness to change the subject, and went from silence to taciturnity and back again to silence. Shediscussed his books and his mannerisms, even the growth of hispopularity. She repeated anecdotes of him from Naples to St. Petersburg, from Tokio to Cape Town. And when we finally stopped underthe porte cochere I had scarcely the civility left to say good-bye. I held out my hand to help her to the ground, but she paused on thesecond step. "Mr. Crocker, " she observed archly, "I believe you once told me you hadnot known many girls in your life. " "True, " I said; "why do you ask?" "I wished to be sure of it, " she replied. And jumping down without my assistance, she laughed and disappeared intothe house.