. He tried to sell you a book. He said that you were very hard
to deal with. I told him that you must know what you wanted. Mr.
Blakemore was here three days ago, to look at some land. He came to the
house where I board, and said that he is making much money. There was a
church sociable and he wanted me to go with him, but I refused. He said
that I never would succeed as long as I was so particular. And I felt
that you would rather I be particular than to succeed. I do not want any
success that you would not like. His little boy has been sick, but is
well now. They are not coming out to Rollins in the summer. They are
going further away to a more fashionable place. Mrs. Goodwin writes to
me yet, so she has not forgotten me. She says that her discovery is
marvelous. She asked about you. She believes that you will be rich one
of these days. I told her in my letter that I did not want to think so,
but I know that she cannot understand. She will not know that I do not
want you to get so far away from me. But you would not. It is a dream
with me to come out there once again. I never have seen a place more
beautiful. The woods here are not so full of the sketches that no one
can draw, and there are no lakes scattered everywhere. I may come for
one week during the vacation."

June was cool, but July was hot, and with the change in the weather came
Mrs. Goodwin and her discovery, a pale girl with long hands. The
"discoverer" sent for Milford. She was graciously pleased to meet him
again. "I am sorry we can't call back the old summer," she said, giving
him her hand. "But the old summers never come back." She introduced him
to the musical genius, Miss Swartz. Her pale lips parted in a white
smile. Milford asked her to play. Mrs. Goodwin shrugged, glanced at the
piano and said: "I can't let her touch that thing." If Mrs. Stuvic had
heard this remark she would have bundled them off down the road. But she
was out in the orchard at scolding heat with a retired policeman, sent
by the city to board with her during the summer. Miss Swartz languidly
waved herself out of the room, and Mrs. Goodwin, motioning Milford to a
seat beside her on the sofa, commanded him to tell her all about
himself.

"I haven't anything of interest to tell."

"Ah, the same close mouth. You hear from her quite often, I suppose. A
strong woman. Don't you think so? I urged her to stay with me, but she
thought it her duty to go away. Do you expect to reside here