girl is by; let me preserve
my balance till then. When she wants to talk to me, I will hear what she
has to say.

XVII.

CONSOLATION.

Sure enough about a week after this Clarice came to me as I was smoking
a surreptitious cigar on the rocks, away from the house, after sundown.
She came and sat down close by me, but I pretended not to notice.
"Robert," said she. "Well," said I. There is no use in meeting them half
way when they are willing to come the whole distance: mostly you have to
do it all yourself, and turn about is fair play.

"Robert, are you angry with me?"

I couldn't help looking at her now, and she shot one of her great
glances into my face. I melted right down, and so would you have done.
"Clarice, you know I never could be angry with you five minutes
together--nor five seconds, if you chose to stop it. What have I got to
be angry about now?"

"Well, Bob, it wasn't your fault this time."

"No, I trust not. Whose fault was it?"

"Mine, mine. Bob, will you be my friend?" And she put her hand in mine.

"What have I ever been but your friend? Don't you do as you like with
me--and with all of us? Clarice, you know it hurts me to see you like
this. And there's poor Hartman."

She pulled away from me. "What has Mr. Hartman to do with it? Who was
talking of him?"

"Miss Elliston," I said with dignity, "the First of April is past some
time ago. What do you want to be playing these games on me for?"

"O, don't 'Miss Elliston' me, Bob. Don't you understand women yet?"

"No, I'll be shot if I do; and I never expect to. That will do for young
beginners, who think they know everything. I've seen too much of you to
pretend to understand you. Why don't you speak out and come straight to
the point?"

"Why, you goose, that's not our nature. Speaking out and going straight
to the point will do for great clumsy things like you and Mr. Hartman."

"Well, I am a great clumsy thing, as you justly observe. It's very
pleasant to have you come to me like this, Princess, and I wish you
would do it oftener; it's mighty little I've seen of you of late. But
though it would meet my views to prolong this session indefinitely, I
suppose you want something of me, or you wouldn't be so sweet. It may
seem an improbable statement, but I would rather help you out of this
scrape than enjoy your society even--that's saying a good deal, but it's
true. Yes, I'm fool enough for that."

"I know you are, dear," she said, v