clever a fellow to
be hanging around, shooting and fishing. You're wasting your life."

"That was wasted long ago."

"No, it wasn't. But it will be if you don't change pretty soon. I tell
you you ought to get interested in something that counts. You might make
a big name for yourself yet."

"That's enough of that. I have a name already. You know it, and you know
what was made of it."

"YOU didn't make it that kind of a name, did you? And you're young
enough to make it something altogether different. You ought to. You owe
it to your mother and you owe it to yourself. As it is, if you keep on,
you'll--"

"George, you've said enough. No one but you would have been permitted to
say as much. You don't understand."

"Maybe not, but, Ros, I don't like to have people around here call
you--"

"I don't care a continental what they call me. I don't want them to know
who I am, but for public opinion generally I care nothing."

He leaned back in his chair. His face was in shadow and I could not see
it, but his tone was grave enough.

"You think you don't," he said, slowly, "but there may come a time when
you will. There may come a time when you get so interested in something,
or some person, that the thought of what folks would say if--if anything
went wrong would keep you awake night after night. Oh, I tell you,
Ros--Hello, Nellie! thought you'd gone South to pick those berries
yourself. Two saucers full! Well, I suppose I must eat the other to save
it--unless Ros here wants both."

I said one would be quite sufficient for the present, and we three
chatted until Mrs. Dean came over and monopolized the chat.

"Don't go, Roscoe," protested the matron. "The Cap'n's here and he'll
want to talk to you. He's dreadful interested in you just now. Don't
talk about nobody else, scurcely. You set still and I'll go fetch him."

But I refused to "set." I knew the cause of Captain Jedediah's interest,
and what he wished to talk about. I rose and announced that I would
stroll about a bit. Taylor spoke to me as I was leaving.

"Ros," he said, earnestly, "you think of what I told you, will you?"

I saw a group of people hurrying toward the entrance of the grounds
and I followed them, curious as to the cause of the excitement. An
automobile had stopped by the gate. Sim Eldredge came hastening up and
seized me by the arm.

"Gosh! it's Ros," he exclaimed, in his mysterious whisper. "I hadn't
seen you afore; just got here myself. Bu