e Mr. Witla. We will almost forget that we were ever here
together. We will scarcely believe that we have seen what we have seen
and done what we have done."

"But, Christina, you talk as though everything were over. It isn't, is
it?"

"We can't do anything like this in New York," she sighed. "I haven't
time and you must work."

There was a shade of finality in her tone.

"Oh, Christina, don't talk so. I can't think that way. Please don't."

"I won't," she said. "We'll see. Wait till I get back."

He kissed her a dozen farewells and at the door held her close once
more.

"Will you forsake me?" he asked.

"No, you will forsake me. But remember, dear! Don't you see? You've had
all. Let me be your wood nymph. The rest is commonplace."

He went back to his hotel with an ache in his heart, for he knew they
had gone through all they ever would. She had had her summer with him.
She had given him of herself fully. She wanted to be free to work now.
He could not understand it, but he knew it to be so.

CHAPTER XXV

It is a rather dreary thing to come back into the hot city in the summer
after a period of beauty in the mountains. The quiet of the hills was in
Eugene's mind, the glisten and babble of mountain streams, the soar and
poise of hawks and buzzards and eagles sailing the crystal blue. He felt
lonely and sick for awhile, out of touch with work and with practical
life generally. There were little souvenirs of his recent happiness in
the shape of letters and notes from Christina, but he was full of the
premonition of the end which had troubled him on leaving.

He must write to Angela. He had not thought of her all the time he had
been gone. He had been in the habit of writing to her every third or
fourth day at least; while of late his letters had been less passionate
they had remained fairly regular. But now this sudden break coming--it
was fully three weeks--made her think he must be ill, although she had
begun to feel also that he might be changing. His letters had grown
steadily less reminiscent of the joys they had experienced together and
of the happiness they were anticipating, and more inclined to deal with
the color and character of city life and of what he hoped to achieve.
Angela was inclined to excuse much of this on the grounds of the special
effort he was making to achieve distinction and a living income for
themselves. But it was hard to explain three weeks of silence without
something