sufficiently to speak。 Then he told her what he had done； and why； and
Mary pulled off his shoes and put a hot…water bottle to his cold feet。
It was not exactly the treatment for a champion； but Mary Kenton was not
thinking of that； and when Richard said he still felt a little sick at
the stomach she wanted him to try a drop of camphor in addition to the
brandy。 She said he must not talk； but she wished him so much to talk
that she was glad when he began。
〃It seemed to be something I had to do； Mary； but I would give anything
if I had not been obliged to do it：
〃Yes； I know just how you feel； Dick； and I think it's pretty hard this
has come on you。 I do think Ellen might〃
〃It wasn't her fault； Mary。 You mustn't blame her。 She's had more to
bear than all the rest of us。〃 Mary looked stubbornly unconvinced； and
she was not moved； apparently； by what he went on to say。 〃The thing now
is to keep what I've done from making more mischief for her。〃
〃What do you mean； Dick？ You don't believe he'll do anything about it；
do you？〃
〃No； I'm not afraid of that。 His mouth is shut。 But you can't tell how
Ellen will take it。 She may side with him now。〃
〃Dick！ If I thought Ellen Kenton could be such a fool as that！〃
〃If she's in love with him she'll take his part。〃
〃But she can't be in love with him when she knows how he acted to your
father！〃
〃We can't be sure of that。 I know how he acted to father； but at this
minute I pity him so that I could take his part against father。 And I
can understand how Ellen Anyway； I must make a clean breast of it。
What day is this Thursday？ And they sail Saturday！ I must write〃
He lifted himself on his elbow； and made as if to throw off the shawl she
had spread upon him。
〃No； no！ I will write； Dick！ I will write to your mother。 What shall I
say？〃 She whirled about； and got the paper and ink out of her writing…
desk； and sat down near him to keep him from getting up； and wrote the
date； and the address； 〃Dear Mother Kenton；〃 which was the way she always
began her letters to Mrs。 Kenton； in order to distinguish her from her
own mother。 〃Now what shall I say？〃
〃Simply this；〃 answered Richard。 〃That I knew of what had happened in
New York； and when I met him this morning I cowhided him。 Ugh！〃
〃Well； that won't do； Dick。 You've got to tell all about it。 Your
mother won't understand。〃
〃Then you write what you please； and read it to me。 It makes me sick to
think of it。〃 Richard closed his eyes； and Mary wrote：
〃DEAR MOTHER KENTON；I am sitting by Richard； writing at his
request； about what he has done。 He received a letter from New York
telling him of the Bittridges' performances there； and how that
wretch had insulted and abused you all。 He bought a cowhide；
meaning to go over to Ballardsville； and use it on him there； but B。
came over on the Accommodation this morning； and Richard met him at
the station。 He did not attempt to resist； for Richard took him
quite by surprise。 Now； Mother Kenton； you know that Richard
doesn't approve of violence； and the dear； sweet soul is perfectly
broken…down by what he had to do。 But he had to do it； and he
wishes you to know at； once that he did it。 He dreads the effect
upon Ellen； and we must leave it to your judgment about telling her。
Of course； sooner or later she must find it out。 You need not be
alarmed about Richard。 He is just nauseated a little； and he will
be all right as soon as his stomach is settled。 He thinks you ought
to have this letter before you sail； and with affectionate good…byes
to all； in which Dick joins；
〃Your loving daughter；
〃Mary KENTON。〃
〃There！ Will that do？〃
〃Yes； that is everything that can be said；〃 answered Richard； and Mary
kissed him gratefully before sealing her letter。
〃I will put a special delivery on it；〃 she said； and her precaution
availed to have the letter delivered to Mrs。 Kenton the evening the
family left the hotel； when it was too late to make any change in their
plans； but in time to give her a bad night on the steamer； in her doubt
whether she ought to let the family go； with this trouble behind them。
But she would have had a bad night on the steamer in any case； with the
heat； and noise； and smell of the docks； and the steamer sailed with her
at six o'clock the next morning with the doubt still open in her mind。
The judge had not been of the least use to her in helping solve it； and
she had not been able to bring herself to attack Lottie for writing to
Richard。 She knew it was Lottie who had made the mischief； but she could
not be sure that it was mischief till she knew its effect upon Ellen。
The girl had been carried in the arms of one of the stewards from the
carriage to her berth in Lottie's room； and there she had lain through
the night； speechless and sleepless。
IX。
Ellen did not move or manifest any consciousness when the steamer left
her dock and moved out into the stream； or take any note of the tumult
that always attends a great liner's departure。 At breakfast…time her
mother came to her from one of the brief absences she made； in the hope
that at each turn she should find her in a different mood； and asked if
she would not have something to eat。
〃I'm not hungry；〃 she answered。 〃When will it sail？〃
〃Why； Ellen！ We sailed two hours ago； and the pilot has just left us。〃
Ellen lifted herself on her elbow and stared at her。 〃And you let me！〃
she said； cruelly。
〃Ellen！ I will not have this！〃 cried her mother； frantic at the
reproach。 〃What do you mean by my letting you？ You knew that we were
going to sail； didn't you？ What else did you suppose we had come to the
steamer for？〃
〃I supposed you would let me stay； if I wanted to： But go away； momma； go
away！ You're all against meyou； and poppa； and Lottie； and Boyne。 Oh；
dear！ oh； dear！〃 She threw herself down in her berth and covered her
face with the sheet； sobbing； while her mother stood by in an anguish of
pity and anger。 She wanted to beat the girl； she wanted to throw herself
upon her； and weep with her in the misery which she shared with her。
Lottie came to the door of the state…room with an arm…load of long…
stemmed roses； the gift of the young Mr。 Plumpton； who had not had so
much to be entreated to come down to the steamer and see her off as Boyne
had pretended。 〃Momma；〃 she said； 〃I have got to leave these roses in
here； whether Ellen likes it or not。 Boyne won't have them in his room；
because he says the man that's with him would have a right to object； and
this is half my room； anyway。〃
Mrs。 Kenton frowned and shook her head； but Ellen answered from under the
sheet； 〃I don't mind the roses； Lottie。 I wish you'd stay with me a
little while。〃
Lottie hesitated； having in mind the breakfast for which the horn had
just sounded。 But apparently she felt that one good turn deserved
another； and she answered： 〃All right； I will； Nell。 Momma； you tell
Boyne to hurry； and come to Ellen as soon as he's done； and then I will
go。 Don't let anybody take my place。〃
〃I wish；〃 said Ellen； still from under the sheet； 〃that momma would have
your breakfast sent here。 I don't want Boyne。〃
Women apparently do not require any explanation of these swift
vicissitudes in one another； each knowing probably in herself the nerves
from which they proceed。 Mrs。 Kenton promptly assented； in spite of the
sulky reluctance which Lottie's blue eyes looked at her； she motioned her
violently to silence； and said： 〃Yes； I will； Ellen。 I will send
breakfast for both of you。〃
When she was gone； Ellen uncovered her face and asked Lottie to dip a
towel in water and give it to her。 As she bathed her eyes she said；
〃You don't care； do you； Lottie？〃
〃Not very much；〃 said Lottie； unsparingly。 I can go to lunch； I
suppose。〃
〃Maybe I'll go to lunch with you；〃 Ellen suggested； as if she were
speaking of some one else。
Lottie wasted neither sympathy nor surprise on the question。 〃Well；
maybe that would be the best thing。 Why don't you come to breakfast？〃
〃No； I won't go to breakfast。 But you go。〃
When Lottie joined her family in the dining…saloon she carelessly
explained that Ellen had said she wanted to be alone。 Before the young
man； who was the only other person besides the Kentons at their table；
her mother could not question her with any hope that the bad would not be
made worse； and so she remained silent。 Judge Kenton sat with his eyes
fixed on his plate； where as yet the steward had put no breakfast for
him； Boyne was supporting the dignity of the family in one of those
moments of majesty from which he was so apt to lapse into childish
dependence。 Lottie offered him another alternative by absently laying
hold of his napkin on the table。
〃That's mine；〃 he said； with husky gloom。
She tossed it back to him with prompt disdain and a deeply eye…lashed
glance at a napkin on her right。 The young man who sat next it said；
with a smile； 〃Perhaps that's yours…unless I've taken my neighbor's。〃
Lottie gave him a stare； and when she had sufficiently punished him for
his temerity said； rather sweetly； 〃Oh； thank you；〃 and took the napkin。
〃I hope we shall all have use for them before long；〃 the young man
ventured again。
〃Well； I should think as much；〃 returned the girl； and this was the
beginning of a conversation which the young man shared successively with
the judge and Mrs。 Kenton as opportunity offered。 He gave the judge his
card across the table； and when the judge had read on it； 〃Rev。 Hugh
Breckon；〃 he said that his name was Kenton； and he introduced the young
man formally to his family。 Mr。 Breckon had a clean…shaven face； with an
habitual smile curving into the cheeks from under a long； straight nose；
his chin had a slight whopper…jaw twist that was charming； his gay eyes
were blue； and a full vein came down his forehead between them from his
smooth hair。 When he laughed； which was often； his color brightened。
Boyne was named last； and