ed to make an idol of the man."

A pleasant laugh greeted this statement. Tucker grew grave. He did not
feel that he thoroughly understood the cause of that laugh, but he took
refuge in that comfortable and all-embracing theory that women were
fond, unaccountable creatures, particularly when deeply moved.

Another explanation was offered by the man below.

"I believe you are just trying to tease me, Jane-Ellen."

"_Trying_, Ranny?"

"You know very well you can always do whatever you like with me." The
voice deepened with emotion.

"Oh, dear me, no, I can't."

"Why not?"

"I can't keep you turning steadily at that crank. Here, let me show you
how it ought to be done."

Tucker knew that she had come out of the kitchen. By leaning over the
railing he could see the kitchen door.

He leant over.

The space before the entrance was paved in large square flagstones; here
an ice-cream freezer was standing, and over it bent a young man of a
somewhat solid build, but with the unmistakable manner and bearing of a
gentleman. He straightened himself as Jane-Ellen came out, and watched
her closely as she grasped the handle of the freezer; but it seemed to
the spectator above that he watched her with other emotions than the
sincere wish to learn the correct manner of freezing.

Tucker looked straight down upon her, upon the part in her light brown
hair, upon her round little arms, for her sleeves were rolled up above
the elbow, as she said didactically:

"It ought to be a steady, even--"

But she got no further, for her pupil without a word, stooped forward
and gathering her into his arms, kissed her.

IV

THERE was no doubt whatsoever in the mind of the spectator that this
caress, provoked or unprovoked, was not agreeable to its recipient. The
young man was large and heavy and she was minute and probably weak, but
the violence of her recoil was sufficient to free her within a second.

"'Her strength,'" thought Tucker, "'was as the strength of ten,'" and he
hoped it was for the reason alleged by the poet.

She stood an instant looking at her visitor, and then she said, in a
tone that no well-trained dog would have attempted to disobey:

"Go away. Go home, and please don't ever come back."

Tucker was deeply moved. It is to be feared that he forgot Mrs.
Falkener, forgot his plans for his friend's protection, forgot
everything except that he had just heard himself descri