an was no longer following
her. She had been almost self-convinced of an intention to go to
Eda's--not quite. Of late her conscience had reproached her about Eda,
Janet had neglected her. She told herself she was afraid of Eda's uncanny
and somewhat nauseating flair for romance; and to show Eda the new suit,
though she would relish her friend's praise, would be the equivalent of
announcing an affair of the heart which she, Janet, would have
indignantly to deny. She was not going to Eda's. She knew now where she
was going. A prepared but hitherto undisclosed decree of fate had bade
her put money in her bag that evening, directed her to the shop to buy
the dress, and would presently impel her to go to West Street--nay, was
even now so impelling her. Ahead of her were the lights of the Chippering
Mill, in her ears was the rhythmic sound of the looms working of nights
on the Bradlaugh order. She reached the canal. The white arc above the
end of the bridge cast sharp, black shadows of the branches of the trees
on the granite, the thousand windows of the mill shone yellow, reflected
in the black water. Twice she started to go, twice she paused, held by
the presage of a coming event, a presage that robbed her of complete
surprise when she heard footsteps on the bridge, saw the figure of a man
halting at the crown of the arch to look back at the building he had
left, his shoulders squared, his hand firmly clasping the rail. Her heart
was throbbing with the looms, and yet she stood motionless, until he
turned and came rapidly down the slope of the arch and stopped in front
of her. Under the arc lamp it was almost as bright as day.

"Miss Bumpus!" he exclaimed.

"Mr. Ditmar" she said.

"Were you--were you coming to the office?"

"I was just out walking," she told him. "I thought you were in Boston."

"I came home," he informed her, somewhat superfluously, his eyes never
leaving her, wandering hungrily from her face to her new suit, and back
again to her face. "I got here on the seven o'clock train, I wanted to
see about those new Blubbers."

"They finished setting them up this afternoon," she said.

"How did you know?"

"I asked Mr. Orcutt about it--I thought you might telephone."

"You're a wonder," was his comment. "Well, we've got a running start on
that order," and he threw a glance over his shoulder at the mill.
"Everything going full speed ahead. When we put it through I guess I'll
have to give you some of the cre