s radiant face, with
his lips to her ear, whispering the divine absurdities of passion, in
the back of her obstinate little head was the thought that, while she
had given him her first embrace, he had held other women in his arms. It
made her passive, prevented her complete surrender.

And after a time he resented it. "You are only letting me love you," he
complained. "I don't believe you care, after all."

He freed her, took a step back from her.

"I am afraid I am jealous," she said simply. "I keep thinking of--of
Carlotta."

"Will it help any if I swear that that is off absolutely?"

"Don't be absurd. It is enough to have you say so."

But he insisted on swearing, standing with one hand upraised, his eyes
on her. The Sunday landscape was very still, save for the hum of busy
insect life. A mile or so away, at the foot of two hills, lay a white
farmhouse with its barn and outbuildings. In a small room in the barn
a woman sat; and because it was Sunday, and she could not sew, she read
her Bible.

"--and that after this there will be only one woman for me," finished
Max, and dropped his hand. He bent over and kissed Sidney on the lips.

At the white farmhouse, a little man stood in the doorway and surveyed
the road with eyes shaded by a shirt-sleeved arm. Behind him, in a
darkened room, a barkeeper was wiping the bar with a clean cloth.

"I guess I'll go and get my coat on, Bill," said the little man heavily.
"They're starting to come now. I see a machine about a mile down the
road."

Sidney broke the news of her engagement to K. herself, the evening of
the same day. The little house was quiet when she got out of the car at
the door. Harriet was asleep on the couch at the foot of her bed,
and Christine's rooms were empty. She found Katie on the back porch,
mountains of Sunday newspapers piled around her.

"I'd about give you up," said Katie. "I was thinking, rather than see
your ice-cream that's left from dinner melt and go to waste, I'd take it
around to the Rosenfelds."

"Please take it to them. I'd really rather they had it."

She stood in front of Katie, drawing off her gloves.

"Aunt Harriet's asleep. Is--is Mr. Le Moyne around?"

"You're gettin' prettier every day, Miss Sidney. Is that the blue suit
Miss Harriet said she made for you? It's right stylish. I'd like to see
the back."

Sidney obediently turned, and Katie admired.

"When I think how things have turned out!" she reflected. "You in a