e bath-houses and sat down with so much grim decision in his manner
that it was evident to the woman the moment she rejoined him. But he
mustered a smile to meet her look of concern, and shook his head.

"Thus far and no farther."

"Oh, but you must not be stubborn!"

"I mean to be--horrid stubborn. In fact, I don't mind warning you that
there's a famous strain of mule in the Whitaker make-up."

She was, however, not to be diverted; and her fugitive frown bespoke
impatience, if he were any judge.

"But seriously, you must--"

"Believe me," he interrupted, "if I am to retain any vestige of
self-respect, I must no longer make a crutch of you."

"But, really, I don't see why--!"

"Need I remind you I am a man?" he argued lightly. "Even as you are a
very charming woman...."

The frown deepened while she conned this utterance over.

"How do you mean me to interpret that?" she demanded, straightforward.

"The intention was not uncomplimentary, perhaps," he said gravely;
"though the clumsiness is incontestable. As for the rest of it--I'm not
trying to flirt with you, if that's what _you_ mean--yet. What I wished
to convey was simply my intention no longer to bear my masculine weight
upon a woman--either you or any other woman."

A smile contended momentarily with the frown, and triumphed brilliantly.

"I beg your pardon, I'm sure. But do you mind telling me what you do
mean to do?"

"No."

"Well, then--?" The smile was deepening very pleasantly.

"I mean to ask you," he said deliberately, taking heart of this
favourable manifestation: "to whom am I indebted--?"

To his consternation the smile vanished, as though a cloud had sailed
before the sun. Doubt and something strongly resembling incredulity
informed her glance.

"Do you mean to say you don't _know_?" she demanded after a moment.

"Believe me, I've no least idea--"

"But surely Mr. Ember must have told you?"

"Ember seemed to be labouring under the misapprehension that the Fiske
place was without a tenant."

"Oh!"

"And I'm sure he was sincere. Otherwise it's certain wild horses
couldn't have dragged him back to New York."

"Oh!" Her tone was thoughtful. "So he has gone back to town?"

"Business called him. At least such was the plausible excuse he advanced
for depriving himself of my exclusive society."

"I see," she nodded--"I see...."

"But aren't you going to tell me? Or ought I to prove my human
intelligence by assuming on logical