ndkerchief is wetter than his
hands. With a gesture of vexation he throws it away, and gives
his attention to the girl. He looks at her quizzically; then,
rather timidly, he kneels at her side, and lays his ear over her
heart. He rises promptly with a satisfied nod, carefully removes
his dripping coat, folds it neatly, and places it on the log.
Again he kneels, this time with his knees on either side of the
girl's head, and laboriously begins to apply the Sylvester
method, counting audibly as he does so. At "ten" he stops
wearily, pauses, and again applies his ear to her heart. The
result is evidently pleasing, and after a few more Sylvester
movements, he begins to vary the procedure by removing her shoes
and alternately chafing her hands and feet. Presently she sighs
deeply. For the third time he pauses to listen to her heart.
Slowly and deliberately her left arm rises, to encircle his neck
in a confiding clasp. He sits back on his haunches, politely
surprised._

SHE. (_Faintly_) Mother! Mother, dear!

HE. Eh?

SHE. Mother, dear, I'm so glad----

HE. (_Interrupting energetically_) Really, I beg your pardon.

SHE. (_Continuing without a break_) I'm so glad you've come.

HE. Ah, yes. . . . Quite so.

SHE. Kiss me, mother.

HE. (_Trying to rise_) Eh?

(_She does not release him._)

SHE. Kiss me, mother.

HE. But I'm not your mother.

SHE. (_Plaintively_) Won't you kiss me, mother?

HE. (_Looks around furtively. Then he obliges her._)

SHE. Ah! That's so nice. (_She pauses. Shudders._) Hold me close,
mother, hold me close. I've had such a terrible dream!

HE. Good Heavens! You're not dreaming now. . . .

SHE. I dreamt--I dreamt-- (_He has raised her to a sitting
position. She stops abruptly. Looks about._) Where--where am I?

HE. (_Surprised_) Don't you know?

SHE. No.

HE. (_In a matter-of-fact tone_) We are about half a mile away
from the Poland Springs Hotel, Poland Springs, Maine.

SHE. (_Vaguely_) Oh! (_She pauses._) And you, how do you come
here?

HE. Strolling.

SHE. Strolling?

HE. I reached the hotel this morning. It was hot--beastly hot. I
went for a walk in the woods.

SHE. And then?

HE. I beg your pardon?

SHE. What happened then? How did we meet?

HE. Don't _you_ know?

SHE. I remember nothing--I'm confused. (_She tries to get up, but
sits on the log with a little exclamation._) My shoes--where are
my shoes?

HE. (_Fetching them_) Here they are.

SHE. Thank you. .