he edge of the
sand-hill, and began to plunge down its slope, leaning far back, her
arms extended, increasing as much as possible the length of each step.
Orde followed at full speed. When the bottom was reached, he steadied
her to a halt. She shook herself, straightened her hat, and wound the
veil around it. Her whole aspect seemed to have changed with the descent
into the conventionality of the village street. The old, gentle though
capable and self-contained reserve had returned. She moved beside Orde
with dignity.

"I came down with Jane and Mrs. Hubbard to see Mr. Hubbard off on the
boat for Milwaukee last night," she told him. "Of course we had to wait
over Sunday. Mrs. Hubbard and Jane had to see some relative or other;
but I preferred to take a walk."

"Where are you staying?" asked Orde.

"At the Bennetts'. Do you know where it is?"

"Yes," replied Orde.

They said little more until the Bennetts' gate was reached. Orde
declined to come in.

"Good-night," she said. "I want to thank you. You did not once act as
though you thought I was silly or crazy. And you didn't try, as all the
rest of them would, to act silly too. You couldn't have done it; and
you didn't try. Oh, you may have felt it--I know!" She smiled one of her
quaint and quizzical smiles. "But men aren't built for foolishness. They
have to leave that to us. You've been very nice this afternoon; and it's
helped a lot. I'm good for quite a long stretch now. Good-night."

She nodded to him and left him tongue-tied by the gate.

Orde, however, walked back to the hotel in a black rage with himself
over what he termed his imbecility. As he remembered it, he had made
just one consecutive speech that afternoon.

"Joe," said he to Newmark, at the hotel office, "what's the plural form
of Incubus? I dimly remember it isn't 'busses.'"

"Incubi," answered Newmark.

"Thanks," said Orde gloomily.

XIII

"I have Heinzman's contract all drawn," said Newmark the next morning,
"and I think I'll go around with you to the office."

At the appointed time they found the little German awaiting them, a
rotund smile of false good-nature illuminating his rosy face. Orde
introduced his partner. Newmark immediately took charge of the
interview.

"I have executed here the contract, and the bonds secured by Mr. Orde's
and my shares of stock in the new company," he explained. "It is
only necessary that you affix your signature and summon the required
witn