beat stiflingly as
he came into her presence. For this man's conscience was a most
insubordinate conscience, and held as wrong the things felt and
thought, as well as things said and done; and his remorse was as that
of an abandoned but repentant jilt. But when he saw how cheerfully she
smiled, he grew easier in his mind. The women always have such a
matter fully under control--I mean the other party's mind.

"Well?" said she interrogatively--"at last? I have been wondering why
I was brought down here?"

"It must have been very dull and lonesome----"

"Oh, no!" she answered. "I am a business woman, you know, and I
haven't been idle. And now, there is something you need, my friend?
Let us begin at once."

There were definite repudiation of claims to tenderness, clear denial
of resentment, in her tone. Amidon brightened and reddened. He
stammered like a boy teased by reference to his first love-affair.

"You are wonderfully kind," he said. "I wanted to ask you to have this
Brassfield tell you all he will about the wedding--the date, and
everything you can get out of the fellow. And have him act as
naturally as you can, so as to see more clearly how he carries himself.
You see what I want, don't you?"

"I think so," she returned. "Conversation must be a little difficult,
isn't it? You remembered some of the things I told you about?"

"Difficult?" he exclaimed. "Oh, Clara, it's impossible! It's so much
so, that I hardly dare go back any more. I'm sending flowers and notes
and doing the best I can; but it won't do at all: I must call
oftener--must! And I'm afraid I have spoiled everything."

"Then you find the lady quite--quite endurable?"

"She's adorable," went on Florian, with the gush which comes at the
first opportunity to discuss the dear one with a sympathetic third
party. "She's perfectly exquisite! I have thought of nothing, dreamed
of nothing, since I left her, except, except----"

"Ah!" said Clara, "the situation must be perfectly lovely--for
you--both---- And I'm sure you got along nicely."

"No, no! I spoiled everything, I know I did. But bring this fellow up
and ask him those things, please; and also about a Miss Scarlett----
No, leave that out. Just about the wedding, and about--I was going to
ask about our house; but the judge found that out, where it is, and
all. Just about the--the things between her and me, a little more, you
know!"

The hypnotic subject yields to cont