Stella less and less
often, nor even when, by and by, she went away South again.

Months passed by and made a heavy drain on all his resources. He found
life hard to endure. One day, when it seemed quite intolerable and he
was casting vainly about, his heart went out to his old friend
Loramer. He went to see him. The grip and smile of the fellow warmed
him like wine. They spent the day together. He brought Loramer home
with him. They sat, walked, rode, talked together by day and by night,
and were happy. They said nothing about Cora, but thought many things.
The little that Loramer saw of her, he chaffed and made merry. One
day, looking for Lawrence, he found him out, and Cora alone. She bade
him come and sit down, and began a chat, but he would only laugh and
answer quizzingly, working cat's cradles with her worsted and big
needles. She grew silent under his banter, eying him furtively and
stitching away with her head bent. After a while he held a comical
figure before her face. She could not help joining in his laugh, but
she stopped short, and began to sob and cry. She stood up, letting her
work go where it would.

"You've no business to laugh at me, Harry Loramer," she complained.
"You and Lawrence are chatting and laughing all day and all night, and
have no more regard for my feelings than if I were wood or stone."

She hid her face, and went out sobbing. Loramer laughed less after
that. Lawrence had to take a long ride, and Loramer proposed they
should all go together. He and Cora rode on a little way while
Lawrence made his call. They rode together every day after that, but
Lawrence could not always be one of the party.

Naturally, Lawrence and Loramer found less to talk about, and sat less
together. When his time came, Lawrence did not press Loramer to stay,
but he did not go. Three days later Lawrence came home and met Loramer
coming out of the house. Their greeting was brief and cold. Lawrence
went in and found Cora.

He could not speak at first.

"What deviltry are you at now?" he demanded.

She tried to pass out, but he took hold of her by the shoulders, and
made her hear.

"Listen to me," he said. "Do you know what you are doing? If you have
no shame or pity, have you no fear? Don't try me too far, I tell you
it's not safe."

His grasp hurt her cruelly, but she kept her head away, and made no
sound.

Two hours later, Lawrence came home again and found no one in his
house. He had a call to make