situation； if it came to that。 She decided to speak with Ellen as soon
as possible； and she meant to follow her to her state…room when they left
the table。 But fate assorted the pieces in the game differently。 Boyne
walked over to the place where Miss Rasmith was sitting with her mother；
Lottie and Mr。 Pogis went off to practise duets together； terrible； four…
…handed torments under which the piano presently clamored； and Ellen
stood for a moment talked to by Mr。 Breckon； who challenged her then for
a walk on deck； and with whom she went away smiling。
Mrs。 Kenton appealed with the reflection of the girl's happiness in her
face to the frowning censure in her husband's； but Kenton spoke first。
〃What does he mean？〃 he demanded； darkly。 〃If he is making a fool of
her he'll find that that game can't be played twice； with impunity。
Sarah； I believe I should choke him。〃
〃Mr。 Kenton！〃 she gasped； and she trembled in fear of him； even while
she kept herself with difficulty from shaking him for his folly。 〃Don't
say such a thing！ Can't you see that they want to talk it over？ If he
hasn't spoken to you it's because he wants to know how you took what she
said。〃 Seeing the effect of these arguments； she pursued： 〃Will you
never have any sense？ I will speak to Ellen the very minute I get her
alone； and you have just got to wait。 Don't you suppose it's hard for
me； too？ Have I got nothing to bear？〃
Kenton went silently back to his book； which he took with him to the
reading…room； where from time to time his wife came to him and reported
that Ellen and Breckon were still walking up and down together； or that
they were sitting down talking； or were forward； looking over at the
prow； or were watching the deck…passengers dancing。 Her husband received
her successive advices with relaxing interest； and when she had brought
the last she was aware that the affair was entirely in her hands with all
the responsibility。 After the gay parting between Ellen and Breckon；
which took place late in the afternoon； she suffered an interval to
elapse before she followed the girl down to her state…room。 She found
her lying in her berth； with shining eyes and glad； red cheeks； she was
smiling to herself。
〃That is right； Ellen；〃 her mother said。 〃 You need rest after your long
tramp。〃
〃I'm not tired。 We were sitting down a good deal。 I didn't think how
late it was。 I'm ever so much better。 Where's Lottie？〃
〃Off somewhere with that young Englishman；〃 said Mrs。 Kenton； as if that
were of no sort of consequence。 〃Ellen；〃 she added； abruptly； trying
within a tremulous smile to hide her eagerness； 〃what is this that Mr。
Breckon wants to talk with your father about？〃
〃Mr。 Breckon？ With poppa？〃
〃Yes； certainly。 You told him this morning that Mr。 Breckon〃
〃Oh！ Oh yes！〃 said Ellen； as if recollecting something that had slipped
her mind。 〃He wants poppa to advise him whether to go back to his
congregation in New York or not。〃
Mrs。 Kenton sat in the corner of the sofa next the door； looking into the
girl's face on the pillow as she lay with her arms under her head。 Tears
of defeat and shame came into her eyes； and she could not see the girl's
light nonchalance in adding：
〃But he hasn't got up his courage yet。 He thinks he'll ask him after
dinner。 He says he doesn't want poppa to think he's posing。 I don't
know what he means。〃
Mrs。 Kenton did not speak at once。 Her bitterest mortification was not
for herself； but for the simple and tender father…soul which had been so
tried already。 She did not know how he would bear it； the
disappointment； and the cruel hurt to his pride。 But she wanted to fall
on her knees in thankfulness that he had betrayed himself only to her。
She started in sudden alarm with the thought。 〃Where is he now
Mr。 Breckon？〃
〃He's gone with Boyne down into the baggage…room。〃
Mrs。 Kenton sank back in her corner； aware now that she would not have
had the strength to go to her husband even to save him from the awful
disgrace of giving himself away to Breckon。 〃And was that all？〃 she
faltered。
〃All？〃
〃That he wanted to speak to your father about？〃
She must make irrefragably sure； for Kenton's sake； that she was not
misunderstanding。
〃Why； of course！ What else？ Why； momma！ what are you crying about？〃
〃I'm not crying； child。 Just some foolishness of your father's。 He
understoodhe thought〃 Mrs。 Kenton began to laugh hysterically。 〃But
you know how ridiculous he is； and he supposed No； I won't tell you！〃
It was not necessary。 The girl's mind； perhaps because it was imbued
already with the subject； had possessed itself of what filled her
mother's。 She dropped from the elbow on which she had lifted herself；
and turned her face into the pillow； with a long wail of shame。
XVIII。
Mrs。 Kenton's difficulties in setting her husband right were indefinitely
heightened by the suspicion that the most unsuspicious of men fell into
concerning Breckon。 Did Breckon suppose that the matter could be turned
off in that way？ he stupidly demanded； and when he was extricated from
this error by his wife's representation that Breckon had not changed at
all； but had never told Ellen that he wished to speak with him of
anything but his returning to his society； Kenton still could not accept
the fact。 He would have contended that at least the other matter must
have been in Breckon's mind； and when he was beaten from this position；
and convinced that the meaning they had taken from Ellen's words had
never been in any mind but their own； he fell into humiliation so abject
that he could hide it only by the hauteur with which he carried himself
towards Breckon when they met at dinner。 He would scarcely speak to the
young man； Ellen did not come to the table； Lottie and Boyne and their
friend Mr。 Pogis were dining with the Rasmiths； and Mrs。 Kenton had to
be； as she felt； cringingly kind to Breckon in explaining just the sort
of temporary headache that kept her eldest daughter away。 He was more
than ordinarily sympathetic and polite； but he was manifestly bewildered
by Kenton's behavior。 He refused an hilarious invitation from Mrs。
Rasmith； when he rose from table； to stop and have his coffee with her on
his way out of the saloon。 His old adorer explained that she had ordered
a small bottle of champagne in honor of its being the night before they
were to get into Boulogne； and that he ought to sit down and help her
keep the young people straight。 Julia； she brokenly syllabled； with the
gay beverage bubbling back into her throat； was not the least use； she
was worse than any。 Julia did not look it； in the demure regard which
she bent upon her amusing mother； and Breckon persisted in refusing。 He
said he thought he might safely leave them to Boyne； and Mrs。 Rasmith
said into her handkerchief； 〃Oh yes！ Boyne！〃 and pressed Boyne's sleeve
with her knobbed and jewelled fingers。
It was evident where most of the small bottle had gone； but Breckon was
none the cheerfuller for the spectacle of Mrs。 Rasmith。 He could not
have a moment's doubt as to the sort of work he had been doing in New
York if she were an effect of it； and he turned his mind from the sad
certainty back to the more important inquiry as to what offence his wish
to advise with Judge Kenton could have conveyed。 Ellen had told him in
the afternoon that she had spoken with her father about it； and she had
not intimated any displeasure or reluctance on him； but apparently he had
decided not to suffer himself to be approached。
It might be as well。 Breckon had not been able to convince himself that
his proposal to consult Judge Kenton was not a pose。 He had flashes of
owning that it was contemplated merely as a means of ingratiating himself
with Ellen。 Now； as he found his way up and down among the empty
steamer…chairs； he was aware； at the bottom of his heart； of not caring
in the least for Judge Kenton's repellent bearing； except as it possibly；
or impossibly； reflected some mood of hers。 He could not make out her
not coming to dinner； the headache was clearly an excuse； for some reason
she did not wish to see him； he argued； with the egotism of his
condition。
The logic of his conclusion was strengthened at breakfast by her
continued absence； and this time Mrs。 Kenton made no apologies for her。
The judge was a shade less severe； or else Breckon did not put himself so
much in the way to be withheld as he had the night before。 Boyne and
Lottie carried on a sort of muted scrap； unrebuked by their mother； who
seemed too much distracted in some tacit trouble to mind them。 From time
to time Breckon found her eyes dwelling upon him wonderingly；
entreatingly； she dropped them； if she caught his； and colored。
In the afternoon it was early evident that they were approaching
Boulogne。 The hatch was opened and the sailors began getting up the
baggage of the passengers who were going to disembark。 It seemed a long
time for everybody till the steamer got in； those going ashore sat on
their hand…baggage for an hour before the tug came up to take； them off。
Mr。 Pogis was among them； he had begun in the forenoon to mark the
approaching separation between Lottie and himself by intervals of
unmistakable withdrawal。 Another girl might have cared； but Lottie did
not care； for her failure to get a rise out of him by her mockingly
varied 〃Oh； I say！〃 and 〃Well； rather！〃 In the growth of his dignified
reserve Mr。 Pogis was indifferent to jeers。 By whatever tradition of
what would or would not do he was controlled in relinquishing her
acquaintance； or whether it was in obedience to some imperative ideal； or
some fearful domestic influence subtly making itself felt from the coasts
of his native island； or some fine despair of equalling the imagined
grandeur of Lottie's social state in Tuskingum by anything he could show
her in England； it was certain that he was ending with Lottie then and
there。 At the same time he was carefully defining himself from the
Rasmiths； with whom he must land。 He had his state…room things put at an
appreciable distance； where he did not escape a final stab from Lottie。
〃O