ffusion over and over again became a torment. There were
occasions when if a man had referred to "The Greater Love," its author
might have howled profanely and offered bodily violence. But no men ever
did refer to "The Greater Love."

On one occasion when a sentimental matron and her gushing daughter had
begged to know if he did not himself adore that poem, if he did not
consider it the best he had ever written, he had answered frankly.
He was satiated with cake and tea and compliments that evening and
recklessly truthful. "You really wish to know my opinion of that poem?"
he asked. Indeed and indeed they really wished to knew just that thing.
"Well, then, I think it's rot," he declared. "I loathe it."

Of course mother and daughter were indignant. Their comments reached
Madeline's ear. She took him to task.

"But why did you say it?" she demanded. "You know you don't mean it."

"Yes, I do mean it. It IS rot. Lots of the stuff in that book of mine
is rot. I did not think so once, but I do now. If I had the book to make
over again, that sort wouldn't be included."

She looked at him for a moment as if studying a problem.

"I don't understand you sometimes," she said slowly. "You are different.
And I think what you said to Mrs. Bacon and Marian was very rude."

Later when he went to look for her he found her seated with Captain
Blanchard in a corner. They were eating ices and, apparently, enjoying
themselves. He did not disturb them. Instead he hunted up the offended
Bacons and apologized for his outbreak. The apology, although graciously
accepted, had rather wearisome consequences. Mrs. Bacon declared she
knew that he had not really meant what he said.

"I realize how it must be," she declared. "You people of temperament,
of genius, of aspirations, are never quite satisfied, you cannot be. You
are always trying, always seeking the higher attainment. Achievements of
the past, though to the rest of us wonderful and sublime, are to you--as
you say, 'rot.' That is it, is it not?" Albert said he guessed it was,
and wandered away, seeking seclusion and solitude. When the affair broke
up he found Madeline and Blanchard still enjoying each other's society.
Both were surprised when told the hour.

CHAPTER XVII

So the first three weeks of his proposed month's visit passed and the
fourth began. And more and more his feelings of dissatisfaction and
uneasiness increased. The reasons for those feelings he found hard t