the victims' power of endurance and assumed
ignorance of its purport. There was something almost pathetic in their
attempts to understand its peculiar humor.

"How about that Europ-e-an trip o' yours, Peters?" said Billings,
meditatively, from the depths of his chair. "Looks as if those
Crowned Heads over there would have to wait till the water goes down
considerable afore you kin trot out your wife and darters before 'em!"

"Yes," said Peters, "it rather pints that way; and ez far ez I kin see,
Mame Billings ain't goin' to no Saratoga, neither, this year."

"Reckon the boys won't hang about old Harcourt's Free Library to see
the girls home from lectures and singing-class much this year," said
Wingate. "Wonder if Harcourt ever thought o' this the day he opened it,
and made that rattlin' speech o' his about the new property? Clark
says everything built on that made ground has got to go after the water
falls. Rough on Harcourt after all his other losses, eh? He oughter
have closed up with that scientific chap, Grant, and married him to
Clementina while the big boom was on"--

"Hush!" said Peters, indicating Grant, who had just entered quietly.

"Don't mind me, gentlemen," said Grant, stepping towards the group
with a grave but perfectly collected face; "on the contrary, I am very
anxious to hear all the news of Harcourt's family. I left for New York
before the rainy season, and have only just got back."

His speech and manner appeared to be so much in keeping with the
prevailing grim philosophy that Billings, after a glance at the others,
went on. "Ef you left afore the first rains," said he, "you must have
left only the steamer ahead of Fletcher, when he run off with Clementina
Harcourt, and you might have come across them on their wedding trip in
New York."

Not a muscle of Grant's face changed under their eager and cruel
scrutiny. "No, I didn't," he returned quietly. "But why did she run
away? Did the father object to Fletcher? If I remember rightly he was
rich and a good match."

"Yes, but I reckon the old man hadn't quite got over the 'Clarion'
abuse, for all its eating humble-pie and taking back its yarns of him.
And may be he might have thought the engagement rather sudden. They say
that she'd only met Fletcher the day afore the engagement."

"That be d----d," said Peters, knocking the ashes out of his pipe, and
startling the lazy resignation of his neighbors by taking his feet from
the stove and sitting