Agatha's manner resembled an Arctic breeze.

"May one ask why?"

"One can not always be singing."

"No? Why not? I could--_if_ I could."

Agatha was obliged to relax a trifle at Jimmy's foolishness, but only
to reveal, more and more distinctly, a wretchedness of spirit that was
quite baffling. It was not feminine wretchedness waiting for a
masculine comforter, either, as James observed with regret; it was a
stoical spirit, braced to meet a blow--or to deal one.

Jimmy was not used to being snubbed, and instinctively prepared for
vigorous protest. He began with a little preliminary diplomacy.

"You haven't inquired what I'm going to do with the remainder of my
holiday," he remarked.

"I supposed you would return soon to Lynn. Shall we walk back to the
house?"

The unkind words were spoken in a rare-sweet voice, courteously enough.
Jim looked at the speaker a moment, then emphatically said "No!"

"It is quite time I was returning."

"Have you anything there to do that is more important than listening to
me for fifteen minutes?"

Agatha did not pretend not to understand him. She turned toward him
with unflinching eyes.

"Truth to say, yes, Mr. Hambleton, I have. I don't wish to listen
to--anything."

"Oh--if you feel like that! Your 'Mr. Hambleton' is enough to strike
me dumb."

"Believe me, it is the best way."

"Again, may one ask why?"

"You are going back to your own people, to your own work. And I to
mine."

"But that's the very point. My idea was to--to combine them."

"I guessed it."

Jimmy smiled his ingenuous smile as he suavely asked, "And don't
you--er--like the idea?"

Agatha turned her wretched white face toward him. Into it there had
come a grim determination that left Jimmy quite out in the cold.

"I have no choice in liking or disliking it," she said quite evenly.
"But there are plenty of reasons why I can't think of it. And you
shouldn't think of it any more. I assure you, you are making a
mistake."

She got up as if ready to walk away, her face averted.

"Agatha!"

At the name she turned to Jim, as much as to say she would be quite
reasonable if he would be. But her face suddenly flushed gloriously.

"Agatha, dear, hear me. I did not intend to tell you all my secret
to-day; not until I should be on neutral ground, so to speak. But I
can't let you leave me this way."

"You will have to. I am going back to the house."

Up to this point, James had merel