nsulted me, and then we laughed like two silly
children, and light-heartedness and vivacity returned to her like two
bright birds to a flowering bush. We planned the dance in full detail.
There was just time to get a famous quartette down from Washington.
She would have the rooms decorated with wagon-loads of jasmine. Once I
had seen the expression of Hurry's face upon learning that there was to
be chocolate ice cream for dessert. In planning her dance Lucy's face
had just the same expression. When she was excited with happiness it
seemed to me that she had the loveliest face I had ever seen.

We rode until dusk, but I could not accept her invitation for tea or a
drink, because my mother was expecting some people over from Augusta
and I had promised to come home. The people's motor, however, had
broken down, and I found my mother all alone, presiding at a tea table
that almost groaned with good things to eat.

"What have you been doing?" she asked.

"I've been riding--as you see. I've been riding with Mrs. Fulton."

"Again? It seems to me you ride with her every day. You must find her
fascinating, or you wouldn't do it."

"You read me like a book, mother. I certainly wouldn't. But don't you
think fascinating is rather a strong word? She's the most easy-going
and engaging little person in the world, but fascinating . . .?
Fascination suggests the effect of paint and fixed smiles and lights
and spangles upon old men with bald heads, the effect of the wily
serpent upon the guileless bird."

"Aiken," said my mother, "is such a very small place."

"It isn't like you to beat about the bush. Why not say frankly that if
I keep on I'll end by making Lucy Fulton conspicuous?"

"Very well," smiled my mother (very gently), "that's just what I do
say."

"Aiken," I said, "can go hang. If two people like to ride together,
for no worse reason than that they like riding and are good friends,
what earthly business is it of Aiken's? People make me sick. That's a
bromide, but it's a good one. As for Lucy Fulton, I really like her a
lot, and she really amuses me, but if I knew that I was never to see
her again in this world, I'd lose no sleep over it. Why, they are the
original happy married pair. Just think he's away from home for the
first time since they were married. They make love to each other
openly, right under your very nose, so that it's downright
embarrassing. Latterly I've had a meal ticket at their