Makebelieve arose and was about bidding him a timid
good-by. She wished to go away to her own little room where she could
look at herself and ask herself questions. She wanted to visualize
herself sitting under a tree beside a man. She knew that she could
reconstruct him to the smallest detail, but feared that she might not
be able to reconstruct herself. When she arose he also stood up and
fell so naturally into step beside her that there was nothing to do
but to walk straight on. He still withstood the burden of conversation
easily and pleasantly and very learnedly. He discussed matters of high
political and social moment, explaining generously the more unusual
and learned words that bristled from his vocabulary. Soon they came to
a more populous part of the Park. The children ceased from their play
to gaze round-eyed at the little girl and the big man, their
attendants looked and giggled and envied. Under these eyes Mary
Makebelieve's walk became afflicted with a sideward bias which jolted
her against her companion. She was furious with herself and ashamed.
She set her teeth to walk easily and straightly, but constantly the
jog of his elbow on her shoulder or the swing of his hand against her
blouse sent her ambling wretchedly arms-length from him. When this had
occurred half a dozen times she could have plumped down on the grass
and wept loudly and without restraint. At the Park gate she stopped
suddenly and with the courage of despair bade him good-by. He begged
courteously to be allowed to see her a little way to her home, but she
would not permit it, and so he lifted his hat to her. (Through her
distress she could still note in a subterranean and half-conscious
fashion the fact that this was the first time a man had ever uncovered
before her.) As she went away down the road she felt that his eyes
were following her and her tripping walk hurried almost to a run. She
wished frantically that her dress was longer than it was--that false
hem! If she could have gathered a skirt in her hand the mere holding
on to something would have given her self-possession, but she feared
he was looking critically at her short skirt and immodest ankles.

He stood for a time gazing after her with a smile on his great face.
He knew that she knew he was watching, and as he stood he drew his
hand from his pocket and tapped and smoothed his moustache. He had a
red moustache; it grew very thickly, but was cropped short and square,
and its