the few thousands which her husband would see fit to borrow from the
bank, and I couldn't but feel that there are moments when it is really
worth while to be alive and rich.

"Wonder what made 'em change their minds?" said John.

"There's one thing sure," said Lucy. "You are not to look a gift horse
in the mouth."

She unwrapped the photograph of Evelyn and put it back in its old place
on top of the bookshelves.

"This settles everything, does it?" asked John. "We don't go back to
New York?"

"We do not," said Lucy firmly.

"Well," said John, "I'd better see the bank before it changes its mind
again. Is the buggy outside?"

"No, but you can take Archie's or Evelyn's. Can't he? I sent
Cornelius Twombly to do some chores."

"I'll drive you down," said Evelyn, "having a telegram to send."

"And I'll stay and help Lucy unpack," I said. "Lord, people, I'm glad
you're not going!"

The moment we were alone Lucy said: "You did it."

"Did what?"

"Don't beat about the bush! Don't pretend that you are not a blessed
angel in disguise!"

Her face was very grave and lovely.

"It's the kindest, tactfulest thing that anybody ever did."

"I couldn't bear the thought of your going back to the city when it's
such fun here."

"What can I say or do to thank you?"

"Nothing, Lucy. Yes, you can. You can ride with me this afternoon."

She looked a little troubled. "Last night, after you had gone," she
said, "John said, 'Aren't you seeing a good deal of Archie Mannering?'"

For a moment I felt distinctly chilled and uncomfortable. Then I said:
"Oh, dear! Now Brutus himself is beginning to worry about us. How
silly!"

"How silly!" echoed Lucy, and we stood staring at each other rather
vapidly, finding nothing to say.

After a while I asked if John had said any more on the subject. "Did
he embroider the theme at all?" I asked.

Lucy took a photograph out of the trunk tray and began to unwrap it.
"Yes," she said. "He did. He even held forth. He said that when a
woman no longer cared for her husband, it was dangerous for her to see
much of another man. He realized, he said, that ours was an
exceptional case, but that soon people would guess about _him_ and me,
and that then they'd begin to talk about _you_ and me. And he hates
anything conspicuous, and so forth, and so forth."

"What did you say?"

She smiled up at me, but not very joyously. "I said, 'I'm not going to
be rude to one of the best