sympathy, never seen the real man. Now it was
otherwise. Association with larger, simpler natures had developed the
latent capabilities of her own, and the presence of love had made her
more observant, more responsive.

Her enlarged sympathies made her yearn over Thorne; her happiness made
her long earnestly to help him. She cast about in her mind what she
should do. She knew the strength of Berkeley's prejudices, and that
his influence with his sister had been--and still was--silently but
strenuously exerted to hold her back from a course from which, as
Blanche suspected, his feelings, more than his conscience, revolted.

Blanche, differently reared, could not see the matter from the Mason
standpoint at all. To her, the past was past; to be deplored, of
course, but not to be allowed to cast a baleful shadow on the future.
That, to Blanche, was morbid; she could see no sense in drawing
conscientiousness to a point and impaling her own heart, and, worse,
other hearts thereon. Blanche's creed was simple--people committed
faults, made blunders, sinned, suffered; atoned the sin by the
suffering, and should then be kissed and forgiven.

She talked to Berkeley in her gentle, persuasive way (she had not
courage yet to talk to Pocahontas) and exerted all her influence in
Thorne's behalf; but she speedily discovered that she made little
headway; that while Berkeley listened, he did not assent; that he put
down her efforts; mainly, to personal attachment to her cousin, and was
therefore inclined to rule out her testimony. She needed help;
pressure must be brought to bear which had no connection with Thorne;
some one from the old life must speak, some one who shared the
prejudices, and was big enough and generous enough to set them aside
and judge of the affair from an unbiased, impersonal standpoint.

When this idea presented itself, her mind turned instantly to Jim.
Here was a man from the old life, a man reared as they had been reared,
a man in no way connected with Thorne. Jim could help her, if he
would, and somehow, Blanche felt assured that he would.

Jim had discovered their presence in the hotel very speedily and had
joined the party, glad, with an earnest gladness, to see his old
friends again, glad also to meet these new friends who had become
associated with the old ones. Blanche had been attracted by him, as
women, children, and dumb animals always were attracted by him; he was
strong, and yet very gentl