as merged in her brain in swimming circles of heat and blinding
alternations of light and darkness. All the world has to show seemed
to pass before her in a chaos of palms and minarets, charging cavalry
regiments, roaring lions, comic policemen and scowling murderers; and
the crowd around her, the hundreds of hot sallow candy-munching faces,
young, old, middle-aged, but all kindled with the same contagious
excitement, became part of the spectacle, and danced on the screen with
the rest.

Presently the thought of the cool trolley-run to the Lake grew
irresistible, and they struggled out of the theatre. As they stood
on the pavement, Harney pale with the heat, and even Charity a little
confused by it, a young man drove by in an electric run-about with a
calico band bearing the words: "Ten dollars to take you round the Lake."
Before Charity knew what was happening, Harney had waved a hand, and
they were climbing in. "Say, for twenny-five I'll run you out to see the
ball-game and back," the driver proposed with an insinuating grin; but
Charity said quickly: "Oh, I'd rather go rowing on the Lake." The street
was so thronged that progress was slow; but the glory of sitting in the
little carriage while it wriggled its way between laden omnibuses and
trolleys made the moments seem too short. "Next turn is Lake Avenue,"
the young man called out over his shoulder; and as they paused in the
wake of a big omnibus groaning with Knights of Pythias in cocked hats
and swords, Charity looked up and saw on the corner a brick house with
a conspicuous black and gold sign across its front. "Dr. Merkle; Private
Consultations at all hours. Lady Attendants," she read; and suddenly
she remembered Ally Hawes's words: "The house was at the corner of Wing
Street and Lake Avenue... there's a big black sign across the front...."
Through all the heat and the rapture a shiver of cold ran over her.

X

THE Lake at last--a sheet of shining metal brooded over by drooping
trees. Charity and Harney had secured a boat and, getting away from the
wharves and the refreshment-booths, they drifted idly along, hugging the
shadow of the shore. Where the sun struck the water its shafts flamed
back blindingly at the heat-veiled sky; and the least shade was black by
contrast. The Lake was so smooth that the reflection of the trees on
its edge seemed enamelled on a solid surface; but gradually, as the sun
declined, the water grew transparent, and Charity, le