to come down. But
Austin can't see it."

"Could you go for the day?"

"If I went for a day I should stay longer. There's everything to be
done."

He switched away from the subject. "Crowd seems to have separated. Fox
and Anne Warfield by the fountain. You and Tony here, and Eve and Pip as
yet undiscovered."

"It is the day," Winifred decided, "all romance and roses. Even Tony and
I were a-lovering when Eve found us."

Richard rose. "Tony, she wants to hold your hand. I'll get out."

Winifred laughed. "You'd better go and hold Eve's."

As he went away, Richard wondered if there was anything significant in
her way of saying it.

Eve and Pip were in the enclosed space where Pan gleamed white against
the dark cedars. Eve was seated on the sun-dial. Pip had lifted her
there, and he stood leaning against it. Her lap was full of roses, and
there were roses on her hat. The high note of color was repeated in the
pink sunshade which lay open where the wind had wafted it to the feet of
the piping Pan.

Pip straightened up as he saw Richard approaching. "There comes your
eager lover, Eve. Give me a rose before he gets here."

"No."

"Why not?"

"I'm afraid."

"Of me?"

"No. But if I give you anything you'll take more. And I want to give
everything to--Dicky."

He laughed a triumphant laugh. "I take all _I_ can get. Give me a rose,
Eve."

She yielded to his masterfulness. Out of the mass of bloom she chose a
pink bud. "I shall give a red one to Dicky, so don't feel puffed up."

"I told you I should take what I could get, and Brooks isn't thinking of
roses. Look at his face."

"I am sorry to be so late, Eve," Richard said, as he came up. "I am
always apologizing, it seems to me."

"Little Boy Blue----! Dicky, what's the matter?"

"I want to go home." He tried to speak lightly--to follow her mood.

"Home--to Crossroads?"

"Yes."

"But why?"

"There's typhoid, and they don't know how to cope with it."

"Aren't there other doctors?"

"Yes, but not enough."

"Nonsense; what did they do before you came to the county? You must get
rid of the feeling that you are so--important." She was angry. Little
sparks were in her eyes.

"Don't worry, Eve. Austin doesn't want me to go. I can't get away. But it
is on my mind."

"Put it off and come and help me with my roses. I gave Pip a bud. Are you
jealous, Dicky?"

Still trying to follow her mood, he said, "You and the rest of the roses
belong to me. Why