himself upon her mercy without delay。
〃Mrs。 Pasmer； you must help me about this business with Alice；〃 he broke
out at once。 〃I don't know what to make of it； but I know I can explain
it。 Of course；〃 he added； smiling ruefully； 〃the two statements don't
hang together； but what I mean is that if I can find out what the trouble
is； I can make it all right； because there's nothing wrong about it； don't
you see？〃
Mrs。 Pasmer tried to keep the mystification out of her eye； but she could
not even succeed in seeming to do so； which she would have liked almost as
well。
〃Don't you know what I mean？〃 asked Dan。
Mrs。 Pasmer chanced it。 〃That Alice was a little out of sorts last
night？〃 she queried leadingly。
〃Yes；〃 said Mavering fervently。 〃And about herher writing to me。〃
〃Writing to you？〃 Mrs。 Pasmer was going to ask； when Dan gave her the
letter。
〃I don't know whether I ought to show it； but I must。 I must have your
help； and I can't； unless you understand the case。〃
Mrs。 Pasmer had begun to read the note。 It explained what the girl
herself had refused to give any satisfactory reason forher early
retirement from the reception； her mysterious disappearance into her own
room on reaching home； and her resolute silence on the way。 Mrs。 Pasmer
had known that there must be some trouble with Dan； and she had suspected
that Alice was vexed with him on account of those women； but it was beyond
her cheerful imagination that she should go to such lengths in her
resentment。 She could conceive of her wishing to punish him； to retaliate
her suffering on him； but to renounce him for it was another thing； and
she did not attribute to her daughter any other motive than she would have
felt herself。 It was always this way with Mrs。 Pasmer： she followed her
daughter accurately up to a certain point； beyond that she did not believe
the girl knew herself what she meant； and perhaps she was not altogether
wrong。 Girlhood is often a turmoil of wild impulses； ignorant
exaltations； mistaken ideals； which really represent no intelligent
purpose； and come from disordered nerves； ill…advised reading； and the
erroneous perspective of inexperience。 Mrs。 Pasmer felt this； and she was
tempted to break into a laugh over Alice's heroics； but she preferred to
keep a serious countenance； partly because she did not feel the least
seriously。 She was instantly resolved not to let this letter accomplish
anything more than Dan's temporary abasement； and she would have preferred
to shorten this to the briefest moment possible。 She liked him； and she
was convinced that Alice could never do better； if half so well。 She
would now have preferred to treat him with familiar confidence； to tell
him that she had no idea of Alice's writing him that nonsensical letter；
and he was not to pay the least attention to it； for of course it meant
nothing； but another principle of her complex nature came into play； and
she silently folded the note and returned it to Dan； trembling before her。
〃Well？〃 he quavered。
〃Well；〃 returned Mrs。 Pasmer judicially； while she enjoyed his tremor；
whose needlessness inwardly amused her〃well； of course； Alice was〃
〃Annoyed； I know。 And it was all my faultor my misfortune。 But I
assure you； Mrs。 Pasmer； that I thought I was doing something that would
please herin the highest and noblest way。 Now don't you know I did？〃
Mrs。 Pasmer again wished to laugh； but in the face of Dan's tragedy she
had to forbear。 She contented herself with saying： 〃Of course。 But
perhaps it wasn't the best time for pleasing her just in that way。〃
〃It was then or never。 I can see nowwhy； I could see all the timejust
how it might look； but I supposed Alice wouldn't care for that； and if I
hadn't tried to make some reparation then to Mrs。 Frobisher and her
sister； I never could。 Don't you see？〃
〃Yes； certainly。 But〃
〃And Alice herself told me to go and look after them；〃 interposed
Mavering。 He suppressed； a little uncandidly； the fact of her first
reluctance。
〃But you know it was the first time you had been out together？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃And naturally she would wish to have you a good deal to herself； or at
least not seeming to run after other people。〃
〃Yes； yes； I know that。〃
〃And no one ever likes to be taken at their word in a thing like that。〃
〃I ought to have thought of that； but I didn't。 I wish I had gone to you
first； Mrs。 Pasmer。 Somehow it seems to me as if I were very young and
inexperienced； I didn't use to feel so。 I wish you were always on hand to
advise me； Mrs。 Pasmer。〃 Dan hung his head； and his face； usually so gay；
was blotted with gloom。
〃Will you take my advice now？〃 asked Mrs。 Pasmer。
〃Indeed I will！〃 cried the young fellow； lifting his head。 〃What is it？〃
〃See Alice about this。〃
Dan jumped to his feet； and the sunshine broke out over his face again。
〃Mrs。 Pasmer； I promised to take your advice； and I'll do it。 I will see
her。 But how？ Where？ Let me have your advice on that point too。〃
They began to laugh together； and Dan was at once inexpressibly happy。
Those two light natures thoroughly comprehended each other。
Mrs。 Pasmer had proposed his seeing Alice with due seriousness； but now
she had a longing to let herself go； she felt all the pleasure that other
people felt in doing Dan Mavering a pleasure； and something more； because
he was so perfectly intelligible to her。 She let herself go。
〃You might stay to breakfast。〃
〃Mrs。 Pasmer； I willI will do that too。 I'm awfully hungry； and I put
myself in your hands。〃
〃Let me see；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer thoughtfully； 〃how it can be contrived。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Mavering； ready for a panic。 〃How？ She wouldn't stand a
surprise？〃
〃No； I had thought of that。〃
〃No behind…a…screen or next…room business？〃
〃No；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer； with a light sigh。 〃Alice is peculiar。 I'm
afraid she wouldn't like it。〃
〃Isn't there any little ruse she would like？〃
〃I can't think of any。 Perhaps I'd better go and tell her you're here and
wish to see her。〃
〃Do you think you'd better？〃 asked Dan doubtfully。 〃Perhaps she won't
come。〃
〃She will come；〃 said Mrs。 Pasmer confidently。
She did not say that she thought Alice would be curious to know why he had
come； and that she was too just to condemn him unheard。
But she was right about the main point。 Alice came； and Dan could see
with his own weary eyes that she had not slept either。
She stopped just inside the portiere； and waited for him to speak。 But he
could not； though a smile from his sense of the absurdity of their
seriousness hovered about his lips。 His first impulse was to rush upon
her and catch her in his arms； and perhaps this might have been well； but
the moment for it passed； and then it became impossible。
〃Well？〃 she said at last； lifting her head； and looking at him with
impassioned solemnity。 〃You wished to see me？ I hoped you wouldn't。 It
would have spared me something。 But perhaps I had no right to your
forbearance。〃
〃Alice； how can you say such things to me？〃 asked the young fellow； deeply
hurt。
She responded to his tone。 〃I'm sorry if it wounds you。 But I only mean
what I say。〃
〃You've a right to my forbearance； and not only that； but to mymy life；
to everything that I am；〃 cried Dan； in a quiver of tenderness at the
sight of her and the sound of her voice。 〃Alice； why did you write me
that letter？why did you send me back my ring？〃
〃Because；〃 she said； looking him seriously in the face〃because I wished
you to be free； to be happy。〃
〃Well； you've gone the wrong way about it。 I can never be free from you；
I never can be happy without you。〃
〃I did it for your good； then； which ought to be above your happiness。
Don't think I acted hastily。 I thought it over all night long。 I didn't
sleep〃
〃Neither did I；〃 interposed Dan。
〃And I saw that I had no claim to you； that you never could be truly happy
with me〃
〃I'll take the chances；〃 he interrupted。 〃Alice； you don't suppose I
cared for those women any more than the ground under your feet； do you？ I
don't suppose I should ever have given them a second thought if you hadn't
seemed to feel so badly about my neglecting them； and I thought you'd be
pleased to have me try to make it up to them if I could。〃
〃I know your motive was goodthe noblest。 Don't think that I did you
injustice； or that I was vexed because you went away with them。〃
〃You sent me。〃
〃Yes； and now I give you up to them altogether。 It was a mistake； a
crime； for me to think we could he anything to each other when our love
began with a wrong to some one else。〃
〃With a wrong to some one else？〃
〃You neglected them on Class Day after you saw me。〃
〃Why； of course I did。 How could I help it？〃
A flush of pleasure came into the girl's pale face； but she banished it；
and continued gravely； 〃Then at Portland you were with them all day。〃
〃You'd given me upyou'd thrown me over； Alice；〃 he pleaded。
〃I know that； I don't blame you。 But you made them believe that you were
very much interested in them。〃
〃I don't know what I did。 I was perfectly desperate。〃
〃Yes； it was my fault。 And then； when they came to meet you at the
Museum； I had made you forget them； I'd made you wound them and insult
them again。 No。 I've thought it all out； and we never could be happy。
Don't think that I do it from any resentful motive。〃
〃Alice？ how could I think that？Of you！〃
〃I have triedprayedto be purified from that； and I believe that I have
been。〃
〃You never had a selfish thought。〃
〃And I have come to see that you were perfectly right in what you did last
night。 At first I was wounded。〃
〃Oh； did I wound you； Alice？〃 he grieved。
〃But afterward I could see that you belonged to them； and not me； andand
I give you up to them。 Yes； freely； fully。〃
Alice stood there； beautiful； pathetic； austere； and Dan had halted in the
spot to which he had advanced； when her eye forbade him to approach
nearer。 He did not mean to joke； and it was in despair that he cried out：
〃But which； Alice？ There are two of them。〃
〃Two？〃 she repeated vaguely。
〃Yes； Mrs。 Frobisher and Miss Wrayne。 You can't give me