t advisable to leave New Haven. Many of his friends know
me, of course--or know Gertrude; know all about us, at any rate. It's
not very remarkable, then, that Susan's appearance in New York--and so
far as Maltby's May-Flies know, in some sense under his wing--has set
tongues wagging. I was afraid of it; but I know Maltby's set well enough
to know that to-day's rumor, unless it's pretty sharply spiced, is soon
forgotten. To-morrow's is so much fresher, you see. The best thing for
innocent victims to do is to keep very still. And then, I confess, it
seemed to me unlikely that Maltby would permit anything of the sort to
go too far."

I saw that Jimmy was following my exposition with the most painful
surprise. Phil grunted disgustedly as I ended.

"I don't pretend to much knowledge of that world," he said deliberately,
"but common sense tells me Maltby Phar might think it to his advantage
to fan the flame instead of stamping it out. I may be unfair to him, but
I'm even capable of supposing he touched it off in the first place."

"No, Phil," I objected, "he wouldn't have done that. But you seem to be
right about his failing to stamp out the sparks. That's what you meant
by his not standing up for Susan, isn't it, Jimmy?"

The boy's face was a study in unhappy perplexity. "I guess I'm like
Professor Farmer!" he exclaimed. "I'm not on to people who act like
that. But, Mr. Hunt, you're dead wrong--excuse me, sir!"

"Go on, Jimmy."

"Well, I mean--you spoke of vague rumors, didn't you? They're not
vague. I guess Susan hasn't wanted to upset you. Miss Goucher told me
all about it, and she wouldn't have done it, would she, if she hadn't
hoped I'd bring it straight back to you? I guess she promised Susan not
to tell you, so she told me. That's the only way I can figure it,"
concluded Jimmy.

Phil was grim now. "Give us your facts, Jimmy--all of them."

"Yes, sir. There's a Mr. Young; he writes things. He's clever. They're
all clever down there. Well, Mr. Young's dead gone on Susan; but then,
he's the kind that's always dead gone on somebody. It's women with him,
you see, sir. Susan understands. It don't seem right she should,
somehow; but--well, Susan's always been different from most girls. At
least, I don't know many girls----"

"Never mind that," prompted Phil.

"No, sir. Talking about things like this always rattles me. I can't help
it. They kind of stick in my throat. Well, Mr. Young don't want to marry
anybody, bu