not intended to include you."

"Thank you. Father seemed inclined to agree with your estimate--part of
it, at least. He is very much interested in you, Mr. Paine."

"Yes," I answered, dryly. "I can understand that."

Her smile broke into a ripple of laughter.

"You are quite distinctive, in your way," she said. "You may not be
aware of it, but I have never known father to be so disturbed and
puzzled about any one as he is about you."

"Indeed?"

"Yes, he is, indeed."

"I am sorry that I am the cause of so much mental strain."

"No, you are not. From what I have learned about you, from him, I think
you enjoy it. You must. It is great fun."

"Fun! Well, perhaps. Does your--does Mrs. Colton find it funny?"

She hesitated. "Well," she answered, more slowly, "to be perfectly
frank--I presume that is what you want me to be--I think Mother blames
you somewhat. She is not well, Mr. Paine, and this Lane of yours is her
pet bugbear just now. She--like the rest of us--cannot understand why
you will not sell, and, because you will not, she is rather--rather--"

"I see. I'm not sure that I blame her. I presume she has blamed me
for these outrageous disturbances in the Lane such as you have just
witnessed."

She hesitated again. "Why yes," she said, more slowly still; "a little,
I think. She is not well, as I said, and she may have thought you were,
if not instigating them, at least aware of what was going on. But I am
sure father does not think so."

"But you, Miss Colton; did you believe me responsible for them?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because, from what I have seen of you, you did not seem to me like that
kind of a man. You kept your temper that day in the boat, though you had
a good reason for losing it. All this," with a gesture toward the Lane,
"the shouting and noise and petty insults, was so little and mean and
common. I did not believe you would permit it, if you knew. And, from
what I have learned about you, I was sure you would not."

"From what you learned about me? From your father?"

"No."

"Then from whom, pray?"

"From your friends. From that Mr. Taylor and Miss Dean and the others.
They spoke of you so highly, and of your mother and your care of her.
They described you as a gentleman, and no gentleman would countenance
THAT."

I was so astonished that I blurted out my next question without
thinking.

"You were speaking to them about ME?" I cried.

Her manner changed. Possibly she thought