her a return of fifty per cent。 on her investment。 If he could once
introduce his gleaner in Venice； he should be a made man。 He asked Mrs。
Lander； with real feeling； how she was； as for Miss Clementina； he need
not ask。
〃Oh； indeed； the docta thinks she wants a little lookin' after； too；〃
said Mrs。 Lander。
〃Well； about as much as you do； Mrs。 Lander；〃 Hinkle allowed； tolerantly。
〃I don't know how it affects you； ma'am； such a meeting of friends in
these strange waters； but it's building me right up。 It's made another
man of me； already； and I've got the other man's appetite； too。 Mind my
letting him have his breakfast here with me at your table？〃 He bade the
waiter just fetch his plate。 He attached himself to them； he spent the
day with them。 Mrs。 Lander asked him to dinner at her lodgings； and left
him to Clementina over the coffee。
〃She's looking fine； doesn't the doctor think？ This air will do
everything for her。〃
〃Oh； yes； she's a great deal betta than she was befo'e we came。〃
〃That's right。 Well； now； you've got me here； you must let me make
myself useful any way I can。 I've got a spare month that I can put in
here in Venice； just as well as not； I sha'n't want to push north till
the frost's out of the ground。 They wouldn't have a chance to try my
gleaner； on the other side of the Alps much before September； anyway。
Now； in Ohio； the part I come from； we cut our wheat in June。 When is
your wheat harvest at Middlemount？〃
Clementina laughed。 〃I don't believe we've got any。 I guess it's all
grass。〃
〃I wish you could see our country out there； once。〃
〃Is it nice？〃
〃Nice？ We're right in the centre of the state； measuring from north to
south； on the old National Road。〃 Clementina had never heard of this
road； but she did not say so。 〃About five miles back from the Ohio
River； where the coal comes up out of the ground； because there's so much
of it there's no room for it below。 Our farm's in a valley； along a
creek bottom； what you Yankees call an intervals； we've got three hundred
acres。 My grandfather took up the land； and then he went back to
Pennsylvania to get the girl he'd left therewe were Pennsylvania Dutch；
that's where I got my romantic namethey drove all the way out to Ohio
again in his buggy； and when he came in sight of our valley with his
bride； he stood up in his buggy and pointed with his whip。 〃There！ As
far as the sky is blue； it's all ours！〃
Clementina owned the charm of his story as he seemed to expect； but when
he said； 〃Yes； I want you to see that country； some day；〃 she answered
cautiously。
〃It must be lovely。 But I don't expect to go West； eva。〃
〃I like your Eastern way of saying everr；〃 said Hinkle； and he said it in
his Western way。 〃I like New England folks。〃
Clementina smiled discreetly。 〃They have their faults like everybody
else； I presume。〃
〃Ah； that's a regular Yankee word： presume；〃 said Hinkle。 〃Our teacher；
my first one； always said presume。 She was from your State； too。〃
XXIX。
In the time of provisional quiet that followed for Clementina； she was
held from the remorses and misgivings that had troubled her before Hinkle
came。 She still thought that she had let Dr。 Welwright go away believing
that she had not cared enough for the offer which had surprised her so
much； and she blamed herself for not telling him how doubly bound she was
to Gregory； though when she tried to put her sense of this in words to
herself she could not make out that she was any more bound to him than
she had been before they met in Florence； unless she wished to be so。
Yet somehow in this time of respite； neither the regret for Dr。 Welwright
nor the question of Gregory persisted very strongly； and there were whole
days when she realized before she slept that she had not thought of
either。
She was in full favor again with Mrs。 Lander； whom there was no one to
embitter in her jealous affection。 Hinkle formed their whole social
world； and Mrs。 Lander made the most of him。 She was always having him
to the dinners which her landlord served her from a restaurant in her
apartment； and taking him out with Clementina in her gondola。 He came
into a kind of authority with them both which was as involuntary with him
as with them； and was like an effect of his constant wish to be doing
something for them。
One morning when they were all going out in Mrs。 Lander's gondola； she
sent Clementina back three times to their rooms for outer garments of
differing density。 When she brought the last Mrs。 Lander frowned。
〃This won't do。 I've got to have something elsesomething lighter and
warma。〃
〃I can't go back any moa； Mrs。 Landa；〃 cried the girl； from the
exasperation of her own nerves。
〃Then I will go back myself；〃 said Mrs。 Lander with dignity； 〃and we
sha'n't need the gondoler any more this mo'ning；〃 she added； 〃unless you
and Mr。 Hinkle wants to ride。〃
She got ponderously out of the boat with the help of the gondolier's
elbow； and marched into the house again； while Clementina followed her。
She did not offer to help her up the stairs； Hinkle had to do it； and he
met the girl slowly coming up as he returned from delivering Mrs。 Lander
over to Maddalena。
〃She's all right； now；〃 he ventured to say； tentatively。
〃Is she？〃 Clementina coldly answered。
In spite of her repellent air； he persisted； 〃She's a pretty sick woman；
isn't she？〃
〃The docta doesn't say。〃
〃Well； I think it would be safe to act on that supposition。 Miss
ClementinaI think she wants to see you。〃
〃I'm going to her directly。〃
Hinkle paused； rather daunted。 〃She wants me to go for the doctor。〃
〃She's always wanting the docta。〃 Clementina lifted her eyes and looked
very coldly at him。
〃If I were you I'd go up right away；〃 he said； boldly。
She felt that she ought to resent his interference； but the mild entreaty
of his pale blue eyes； or the elder…brotherly injunction of his smile；
forbade her。 〃Did she ask for me？〃
〃No。〃
〃I'll go to her；〃 she said； and she kept herself from smiling at the long
sigh of relief he gave as she passed him on the stairs。
Mrs。 Lander began as soon as she entered her room； 〃Well； I was just
wonderin' if you was goin' to leave me here all day alone； while you
staid down the'e； carryin' on with that simpleton。 I don't know what's
got into the men。〃
〃Mr。 Hinkle has gone for the docta；〃 said Clementina； trying to get into
her voice the kindness she was trying to feel。
〃Well； if I have one of my attacks； now； you'll have yourself to thank
for it。〃
By the time Dr。 Tradonico appeared Mrs。 Lander was so much better that in
her revulsion of feeling she was all day rather tryingly affectionate in
her indirect appeals for Clementina's sympathy。
〃I don't want you should mind what I say； when I a'n't feelin' just
right；〃 she began that evening； after she had gone to bed； and Clementina
sat looking out of the open window； on the moonlit lagoon。
〃Oh； no；〃 the girl answered； wearily。
Mrs。 Lander humbled herself farther。 〃I'm real sorry I plagued you so；
to…day； and I know Mr。 Hinkle thought I was dreadful； but I couldn't help
it。 I should like to talk with you； Clementina； about something that's
worryin' me； if you a'n't busy。〃
〃I'm not busy； now； Mrs。 Lander；〃 said Clementina； a little coldly； and
relaxing the clasp of her hands； to knit her fingers together had been
her sole business； and she put even this away；
She did not come nearer the bed； and Mrs。 Lander was obliged to speak
without the advantage of noting the effect of her words upon her in her
face。 〃It's like this： What am I agoin' to do for them relations of Mr。
Landa's out in Michigan？〃
〃I don't know。 What relations？〃
〃I told you about 'em： the only ones he's got： his half…sista's children。
He neva saw 'em； and he neva wanted to； but they're his kin； and it was
his money。 It don't seem right to pass 'em ova。 Do you think it would
yourself； Clementina？〃
Why； of cou'se not； Mrs。 Lander。 It wouldn't be right at all。〃
Mrs。 Lander looked relieved； and she said； as if a little surprised； 〃I'm
glad you feel that way； I should feel just so； myself。 I mean to do by
you just what I always said I should。 I sha'n't forget you； but whe'e
the'e's so much I got to thinkin' the'e'd ought to some of it go to his
folks； whetha he ca'ed for 'em or not。 It's worried me some； and I guess
if anything it's that that's made me wo'se lately。〃
〃Why by Mrs。 Landa；〃 said the girl； 〃Why don't you give it all to them？〃
〃You don't know what you'a talkin' about；〃 said Mrs。 Lander； severely。〃 I
guess if I give 'em five thousand or so amongst'em； it's full moa than
they eve thought of havin'； and it's moa than they got any right to。
Well； that's all right； then； and we don't need to talk about it any moa。
Yes；〃 she resumed； after a moment； 〃that's what I shall do。 I hu'n't eva
felt just satisfied with that last will I got made； and I guess I shall
tear it up； and get the fust American lawyer that comes along to make me
a new one。 The prop'ty's all goin' to you； but I guess I shall leave
five thousand apiece to the two families out the'e。 You won't miss it；
any； and I presume it's what Mr。 Landa would expect I should do； though
why he didn't do it himself； I can't undastand； unless it was to show his
confidence in me。〃
She began to ask Clementina how she felt about staying in Venice all
summer； she said she had got so much better there already that she
believed she should be well by fall if she stayed on。 She was certain
that it would put her all back if she were to travel now； and in Europe；
where it was so hard to know how to get to places； she did not see how
they could pick out any that would suit them as well as Venice did。
Clementina agreed to it all； more or less absentmindedly； as she sat
looking into the moonlight； and the day that had begun so stormily ended
in kindness between them。
The next morning Mrs。 Lander did not wish to go out； and she sent
Clementina and Hinkle together as a proof that they were all on good
terms again。 She did not spare the girl this explanation in his
presence； and when they were in the gondola he