d so far
removed from the strong pulse that beat beneath his body deep down in
the earth.

"Why are men so foolish," she whispered on. "We want really a few
things only; quiet, rest, peace, tranquil bodies, and this great earth
to shimmer and change forever." His eyes followed her face. Her skin
was so transparent that each word seemed to make a dot of flashing
color; her bosom gently moved in rhythm to her words, and her eyes
with the heavy falling lids smiled at him in conspiracy with the
mouth.

"But that is not all the story--repose!" his words sounded hollow,
like a lesson he had learned by rote and propriety had obliged him to
repeat.

"No!" her voice was lower yet than ever; "then comes love, and with
love will flow in the passion and energy of life!"

The words moved her body. What she said seemed to him intensely true
for the moment. Again propriety offered protest.

"And the other things--success and reputation and the good that the
world needs."

She moved her hands carelessly.

"You would not need them." There was great scorn in that _them_. They
lay quietly for several minutes while the earth murmured about. She
had drawn him passively into her net. Like some parasitic growth she
was taking her strength from him. But it was a new side to him, this
yielding, and so in a few moments he remembered that hard, angular
self that went about the week in his clothes. He jumped up.

"I must ride back."

She followed without protest. She seemed to swim beside him, happy in
elemental, very simple thoughts, a thin color flushing over her face.

"We have been so happy. It has been such a long, full day. Will you
ever come again?" They stood in the shadows on the lawn. He was minded
to say, _no_, but as he took her hand the Ellwell carriage drove up
the country road. After glancing at it she blanched. Ellwell got out
of the carriage unsteadily, with his large handsome face flushed and
distorted. He was half drunk, and in a great passion. Seizing the
carriage whip in one hand and taking the bridle of the horse by the
other, he lashed the trembling beast for some seconds. Mrs. Ellwell
slipped out of the rear seat and half ran into the house. Bradley got
out of the carriage slowly, with a sneer on his face, and nodded to
Thornton. He smiled, as if to say: "Badly jagged, old fool."

"Go, there is Pete with your horse!" Miss Ellwell whispered. He was
about to put his foot in the stirrup, and get away from the
u