herished it through much anxiety and
repulsion, and in the end I am rewarded. There will be no reward this
time. I think, from such a man--the son of such a man. But I want to do
what is right."

"Because doing right is its own reward," said Agnes anxiously.

"I do not think that. I have seen few examples of it. Doing right is
simply doing right."

"I think that all you say is wonderfully clever; but since you ask me,
it IS nonsense, dear Rickie, absolutely."

"Thank you," he said humbly, and began to stroke her hand. "But all my
disgust; my indignation with my father, my love for--" He broke off; he
could not bear to mention the name of his mother. "I was trying to say,
I oughtn't to follow these impulses too much. There are others things.
Truth. Our duty to acknowledge each man accurately, however vile he
is. And apart from ideals" (here she had won the battle), "and leaving
ideals aside, I couldn't meet him and keep silent. It isn't in me. I
should blurt it out."

"But you won't meet him!" she cried. "It's all been arranged. We've
sent him to the sea. Isn't it splendid? He's gone. My own boy won't
be fantastic, will he?" Then she fought the fantasy on its own ground.
"And, bye the bye, what you call the 'symbolic moment' is over. You had
it up by the Rings. You tried to tell him, I interrupted you. It's not
your fault. You did all you could."

She thought this excellent logic, and was surprised that he looked so
gloomy. "So he's gone to the sea. For the present that does settle it.
Has Aunt Emily talked about him yet?"

"No. Ask her tomorrow if you wish to know. Ask her kindly. It would be
so dreadful if you did not part friends, and--"

"What's that?"

It was Stephen calling up from the drive. He had come back. Agnes threw
out her hand in despair.

"Elliot!" the voice called.

They were facing each other, silent and motionless. Then Rickie advanced
to the window. The girl darted in front of him. He thought he had never
seen her so beautiful. She was stopping his advance quite frankly, with
widespread arms.

"Elliot!"

He moved forward--into what? He pretended to himself he would rather see
his brother before he answered; that it was easier to acknowledge him
thus. But at the back of his soul he knew that the woman had conquered,
and that he was moving forward to acknowledge her. "If he calls me
again--" he thought.

"Elliot!"

"Well, if he calls me once again, I will answer him, vile as he is."