tionality is ridiculous. I refuse to
recognize it."

He rose to his feet and led his horse outside. But before he could vault
to the saddle she caught his arm and dragged him backward. "You shall
not go! You shall not!" She could hardly hear the sound of her voice.
But she heard his, and there was nothing in either storm or darkness to
blunt the sense of touch. For a moment she felt as if the whole had
never been halved, as if they two were youth incarnate; and his arm was
like vibrating iron along her back. She thought he was going to kiss her
and dazedly moved her head towards him. But he cried into her ear
instead:

"I stay if you marry me to-morrow."

"No, no, no!" Her will sprang through her lips, and before it was beaten
down again she saw a spark of light engulfed in the dark, and stood
alone in the storm, wondering if the world had turned over.

VI

"_Monday Morning._

"This is merely to announce that I survived the marsh, and that
upon my return we will resume where we left off last night. E. G."

Isabel received this note early in the morning. That night she had
accepted an invitation of some weeks' standing, and was established in
the old Yorba mansion on Nob Hill. She anathematized her cowardice, but
solitude was beyond her endurance for the moment. She had made up her
mind that she would not think of Gwynne at all, much less give herself
opportunities to miss and desire him; and her will, reinforced by
conditions, was strong enough at times to persuade her that she hated
him.

And there was nothing in the Trennahan household to try her nerves,
everything to soothe them. Although the old buff walls and terrible
carpets of Mrs. Yorba's day had gone long since and the house had been
completely refurnished, it looked like a home, not a museum. Trennahan
had taken his family to Europe many times, and they had brought back
much that was rare and beautiful; but nothing stood out obtrusively, not
even a color. They entertained constantly in a quiet way, and if
Magdalena was far too Spanish to seek out the clever of all sets, and
Trennahan too indifferent, at least Isabel met daily such of the _haute
noblesse_ as were not completely fossilized, and many men that
interested her well enough. Moreover, as Mrs. Trennahan now had a
grown-up daughter, she was obliged to take her to the cotillons and
other routs given under the merciless supervision of the Leader. Isabel
accompanied her as