m. "Oh,
but she won't. You must keep her going."

He stood a little with a thumb in each pocket of his trousers, and his
melancholy eyes ranging far over my head--over the tops of the highest
trees. "Who am _I_ to keep people going?"

"Why, you're just the man. Aren't you happy?"

He still ranged the tree-tops. "Yes."

"Well, then, you belong to the useful class. You've the wherewithal to
give. It's the happy people who should help the others."

He had, in the same attitude, another pause. "It's easy for _you_ to
talk!"

"Because I'm not happy?"

It made him bring his eyes again down to me. "I think you're a little so
now at my expense."

I shook my head reassuringly. "It doesn't cost you anything if--as I
confess to it now--I do to some extent understand."

"That's more, then, than--after talking of it this way with you--I feel
that _I_ do!"

He had brought that out with a sudden sigh, turning away to go on; so
that we took a few steps more. "You've nothing to trouble about," I then
freely remarked, "but that you _are_ as kind as the case requires and
that you do help. I daresay that you'll find her even now on the terrace
looking out for you." I patted his back, as we went a little further,
but as I still preferred to stay away from the house I presently stopped
again. "Don't fall below your chance. _Noblesse oblige._ We'll pull her
through."

"You say 'we,'" he returned, "but you do keep out of it!"

"Why should you wish me to interfere with you?" I asked. "I wouldn't
keep out of it if she wanted me as much as she wants you. That, by your
own admission, is exactly what she doesn't."

"Well, then," said Brissenden, "I'll make her go for you. I think I want
your assistance quite as much as she can want mine."

"Oh," I protested for this, "I've really given you already every ounce
of mine I can squeeze out. And you know for yourself far more than I
do."

"No, I don't!"--with which he became quite sharp; "for you know _how_
you know it--which I've not a notion of. It's just what I think," he
continued, facing me again, "you ought to tell me."

"I'm a little in doubt of what you're talking of, but I suppose you to
allude to the oddity of my being so much interested without my having
been more informed."

"You've got some clue," Brissenden said; "and a clue is what I myself
want."

"Then get it," I laughed, "from Mrs. Server!"

He wondered. "Does she know?"

I had still, after all, to dodge a li