entirely at the service of the president's party, of course,
but it was not very commodious compared with the _Nadia_. Moreover, he
was going on a business trip, and at the end of it he would have to
leave them for an hour or two, or maybe longer. Moreover, again, if they
got tired they would have to sleep as they could, though possibly his
state-room in the service-car might be made to accommodate the three
young women. All this he said, hoping and believing that Mrs. Brewster
would not only refuse to go herself but would promptly veto an
unchaperoned excursion.

But this was one time when his distantly related kinswoman disappointed
him. Mrs. Brewster, cajoled by her daughter, yielded a reluctant
consent, going to the car door to tell Lidgerwood that she would hold
him responsible for the safe return of the trippers.

"See, now, how fatally easy it is for one to promise more--oh, so very
much more!--than one has any idea of performing," murmured the
president's daughter, dropping out to walk beside the victim when the
party trooped down the long platform of the Crow's Nest to the
service-car. And when he did not reply: "Please don't be grumpy."

"It was the maddest notion!" he protested. "Whatever made you suggest
it?"

"More churlishness?" she said reproachfully. And then, with ironical
sentiment: "There was a time when you would have moved heaven and earth
for a chance to take me somewhere with you, Howard."

"To be with you; yes, that is true. But----"

Her rippling laugh was too sweet to be shrill; none the less it held in
it a little flick of the whip of malice.

"Listen," she said. "I did it out of pure hatefulness. You showed so
plainly this afternoon that you wished to be quit of me--of the entire
party--that I couldn't resist the temptation to pay you back with good,
liberal interest. Possibly you will think twice before you snub me
again, Howard, dear."

Quickly he stopped and faced her. The others were a few steps in
advance; were already boarding the service-car.

"One word, Eleanor--and for Heaven's sake let us make it final. There
are some things that I can endure and some others that I cannot--will
not. I love you; what you said to me the last time we were together made
no difference; nothing you can ever say will make any difference. You
must take that fact into consideration while you are here and we are
obliged to meet."

"Well?" she said, and there was nothing in her tone to indicate th