escorted them into the dining…room。 And Ditmar； gazing around over the
heads of the diners； spied in an alcove by a window a little table with
tilted chairs。
〃That one'll do；〃 he said。
〃I'm sorry； but it's engaged；〃 apologized Mr。 Hale。
〃Forget it； Eddietell 'em they're late；〃 said Ditmar； making his way
toward it。
The proprietor pulled out Janet's chair。
〃Say；〃 he remarked； 〃it's no wonder you get along in business。〃
〃Well； this is cosy； isn't it？〃 … said Ditmar to Janet when they were
alone。 He handed her the menu； and snapped his fingers for a waitress。
〃Why didn't you tell me you were coming to this place？〃 she asked。
〃I wanted to surprise you。 Don't you like it？〃
〃Yes；〃 she replied。 〃Only〃
〃Only； what？〃
〃I wish you wouldn't look at me like thathere。〃
〃All right。 I'll try to be good until we get into the car again。 You
watch me！ I'll behave as if we'd been married ten years。〃
He snapped his fingers again； and the waitress hurried up to take their
orders。
〃Kingsbury's still dry； I guess；〃 he said to the girl； who smiled
sympathetically； somewhat ruefully。 When she had gone he began to talk
to Janet about the folly； in general； of prohibition； the fusel oil
distributed on the sly。 〃I'll bet I could go out and find half a dozen
rum shops within a mile of here！〃 he declared。
Janet did not doubt it。 Ditmar's aplomb； his faculty of getting what he
wanted； had amused and distracted her。 She was growing calmer； able to
scrutinize； at first covertly and then more boldly the people at the
other tables； only to discover that she and Ditmar were not the objects
of the universal curiosity she had feared。 Once in a while； indeed； she
encountered and then avoided the glance of some man； felt the admiration
in it； was thrilled a little； and her sense of exhilaration returned as
she regained her poise。 She must be nice lookingmore than thatin her
new suit。 On entering the tavern she had taken off the tweed coat； which
Ditmar had carried and laid on a chair。 This new and amazing adventure
began to go to her head like wine。。。。
When luncheon was over they sat in a sunny corner of the porch while
Ditmar smoked his cigar。 His digestion was good； his spirits high； his
love…makingon account of the public nature of the placesurreptitious
yet fervent。 The glamour to which Janet had yielded herself was on
occasions slightly troubled by some new and enigmatic element to be
detected in his voice and glances suggestive of intentions vaguely
disquieting。 At last she said：
〃Oughtn't we to be going home？〃
〃Home！〃 he ridiculed the notion。 〃I'm going to take you to the prettiest
road you ever sawaround by French's Lower Falls。 I only wish it was
summer。〃
〃I must be home before dark；〃 she told him。 〃You see； the family don't
know where I am。 I haven't said anything to them aboutabout this。〃
〃That's right；〃 he said； after a moment's hesitation：
〃I didn't think you would。 There's plenty of time for thatafter things
get settled a littleisn't there？〃
She thought his look a little odd； but the impression passed as they
walked to the motor。 He insisted now on her pinning the roses on the
tweed coat； and she humoured him。 The winter sun had already begun to
drop； and with the levelling rays the bare hillsides； yellow and brown in
the higher light； were suffused with pink； little by little； as the sun
fell lower； imperceptible clouds whitened the blue cambric of the sky；
distant copses were stained lilac。 And Janet； as she gazed； wondered at
a world that held at once so much beauty； so much joy and sorrow；such
strange sorrow as began to invade her now； not personal； but cosmic。 At
times it seemed almost to suffocate her； she drew in deep breaths of air：
it was the essence of all thingsof the man by her side； of herself； of
the beauty so poignantly revealed to her。
Gradually Ditmar became conscious of this detachment； this new evidence
of an extraordinary faculty of escaping him that seemed unimpaired。
Constantly he tried by leaning closer to her； by reaching out his hand；
to reassure himself that she was at least physically present。 And though
she did not resent these tokens； submitting passively； he grew perplexed
and troubled； his optimistic atheism concerning things unseen was
actually shaken by the impression she conveyed of beholding realities
hidden from him。 Shadows had begun to gather in the forest； filmy mists
to creep over the waters。 He asked if she were cold； and she shook her
head and sighed as one coming out of a trance； smiling at him。
〃It's been a wonderful day！〃 she said。
〃The greatest ever！〃 he agreed。 And his ardour； mounting again； swept
away the unwonted mood of tenderness and awe she had inspired in him；
made him bold to suggest the plan which had been the subject of an
ecstatic contemplation。
〃I'll tell you what we'll do；〃 he said； 〃we'll take a little run down to
Boston and have dinner together。 We'll be there in an hour； and back by
ten o'clock。〃
〃To Boston！〃 she repeated。 〃Now？〃
〃Why not？〃 he said； stopping the car。 〃Here's the roadit's a boulevard
all the way。〃
It was not so much the proposal as the passion in his voice； in his
touch； the passion to which she felt herself responding that filled her
with apprehension and dismay； and yet aroused her pride and anger。
〃I told you I had to be home；〃 she said。
〃I'll have you home by ten o'clock； I promise。 We're going to be
married； Janet；〃 he whispered。
〃Oh； if you meant to marry me you wouldn't ask me to do this！〃 she cried。
〃I want to go back to Hampton。 If you won't take me； I'll walk。〃
She had drawn away from him； and her hand was on the door。 He seized her
arm。
〃For God's sake； don't take it that way！〃 he cried； in genuine alarm。
〃All I meant wasthat we'd have a nice little dinner。 I couldn't bear
to leave you； it'll be a whole week before we get another day。 Do you
suppose I'dI'd do anything to insult you； Janet？〃
With her fingers still tightened over the door…catch she turned and
looked at him。
〃I don't know；〃 she said slowly。 〃Sometimes I think you would。 Why
shouldn't you？ Why should you marry me？ Why shouldn't you try to do
with me what you've done with other women？ I don't know anything about
the world； about life。 I'm nobody。 Why shouldn't you？〃
〃Because you're not like the other womenthat's why。 I love youwon't
you believe it？〃 He was beside himself with anxiety。 〃ListenI'll take
you home if you want to go。 You don't know how it hurts me to have you
think such things！〃
〃Well； then； take me home；〃 she said。 It was but gradually that she
became pacified。 A struggle was going on within her between these doubts
of him he had stirred up again and other feelings aroused by his
pleadings。 Night fell； and when they reached the Silliston road the
lights of Hampton shone below them in the darkness。
〃You'd better let me out here；〃 she said。 〃You can't drive me home。〃
He brought the car to a halt beside one of the small wooden shelters
built for the convenience of passengers。
〃You forgive meyou understand； Janet？〃 he asked。
〃Sometimes I don't know what to think；〃 she said； and suddenly clung to
him。 〃II forgive you。 I oughtn't to suspect such things； but I'm like
that。 I'm horrid and I can't help it。〃 She began to unbutton the coat
he had bought for her。
〃Aren't you going to take it？〃 he said。 〃It's yours。〃
〃And what do you suppose my family would say if I told them Mr。 Ditmar
had given it to me？〃
〃Come on； I'll drive you home； I'll tell them I gave it to you； that
we're going to be married；〃 he announced recklessly。
〃Oh； no！〃 she exclaimed in consternation。 〃You couldn't。 You said so
yourselfthat you didn't want； any one to know； now。 I'll get on the
trolley。〃
〃And the roses？〃 he asked。
She pressed them to her face； and chose one。 〃I'll take this；〃 she said；
laying the rest on the seat。。。。
He waited until he saw her safely on the trolley car； and then drove
slowly homeward in a state of amazement。 He had been on the verge of
announcing himself to the family in Fillmore Street as her prospective
husband！ He tried to imagine what that household was like； and again he
found himself wondering why she had not consented to his proposal。 And
the ever…recurring question presented itselfwas he prepared to go that
length？ He didn't know。 She was beyond him； he had no clew to her； she
was to him as mysterious as a symphony。 Certain strains of her moved him
intenselythe rest was beyond his grasp。。。。 At supper； while his
children talked and laughed boisterously； he sat silent； restless； and in
spite of their presence the house seemed appallingly empty。
When Janet returned home she ran to her bedroom； and taking from the
wardrobe the tissue paper that had come with her new dress； and which she
had carefully folded； she wrapped the rose in it； and put it away in the
back of a drawer。 Thus smothered； its fragrance stifled； it seemed
emblematic； somehow； of the clandestine nature of her love。。。。
The weeks that immediately followed were strange ones。 All the elements
of life that previously had been realities； trivial yet fundamental； her
work； her home； her intercourse with the family； became fantastic。 There
was the mill to which she went every day： she recognized it； yet it was
not the same mill； nor was Fillmore Street the Fillmore Street of old。
Nor did the new and feverish existence over whose borderland she had been
transported seem real； save in certain hours she spent in Ditmar's
company； when he made her forgethers being a temperament to feel the
weight of an unnatural secrecy。 She was aware； for instance； that her
mother and even her father thought her conduct odd； were anxious as to
her absences on certain nights and on Sundays。 She offered no
explanation。 It was impossible。 She understood that the reason why they
refrained from questioning her was due to a faith in her integrity as
well as to a respect for her as a breadwinner who lead earned a right to
independence。 And while her suspicion of Hannah's anxiety troubled her；
on the occasions when she thought of it； Lise's attit