a
sun-crazed world where spring romped and shouted like a hoyden. Above
lazy chimney-pots trees patched the sky-line with sudden greenness. At a
greater distance soft contours of hills lay shadowed beneath stampeding
clouds. Coldly silver beneath the bridge the river flashed, dimpled here
and there by rapid feet where breezes, like adventurous children, rushed
across it. He noted the bowed windows of little houses along the banks,
their whitened steps and shining brasses. He caught the far-blown
fragrance of hyacinths; it set him dreaming of drifting bloom and
flower-strewn ways of woodlands. A happy world, whatever the mental
state of its inhabitants! A world which was doing its bravest best to
play the game by mankind! A world which was whispering at every portal
of the senses that the business of living was immensely worth while! A
world which----! He had reached this point, when the mention of Adair
brought him back to the cause of his philosophizing--the inscrutable
tenderness of the girl, half sorceress, half penitent, seated at his
side. She had recovered her calmness by withdrawing her thin fingers
from his enclosing hand.

Adair Easterday! He didn't want to discuss him; he had more important
things to talk about. Speaking absent-mindedly, "Adair doesn't need any
explaining," he said.

"Oh, doesn't he?" she laughed softly and looked away, creating the
impression that she was leaving volumes unexpressed.

Her air of wisdom provoked him. "Well, I've known him since we were boys
at school together and I've never found him much of a conundrum. He's
brilliant, and lazy, and kind. I think of all the men I've known he's
the one who's most truly a gentleman; he's the one who has given most
promise and who has fewest accomplishments to his credit. He may have
puzzled you as his sister-in-law; but to me, a man of his own age, he
presents no mystery. If anything he's too obvious; that and the fact
that he allows himself to be too much absorbed by his wife are two of
the reasons for his lack of success."

"He doesn't allow himself to be too much absorbed by his wife now." She
had turned deliberately that she might watch the effect of her words.
"He doesn't even pretend to care for Phyllis any longer."

"Not care for her--his own wife! Nonsense! You can't make me believe
that." Then he reined himself in, for he suddenly realized that he was
unconsciously adopting the tones of an elder. "That was a terribly
modern accu