alone!Thecontiguousforestcouldnotbeboltedout,andtheIndianwifeheardall.Recognizingthesituationwithaboriginaldirectnessofpurpose,shecommittedsuicideinthefondbeliefthatitwouldreunitethesurvivors.Butinvain;thecousinspartedonthespottomeetnomore.
　　EvenMrs.Ashwood'spredilectionfortheyouthfulwritercouldnotoverlookthefactthatthedenouementwasbynomeansnovelnorthesituationhuman,butyetitwasherethatshewasmostinterestedandfascinated.ThedescriptionoftheforestwasadescriptionofthewoodwhereshehadfirstmetHarcourt;thecharmofitreturned,untilshealmostseemedtoagaininhaleitsbalsamicfreshnessinthepagesbeforeher.Now,asthen,heryouthcamebackwiththesamelongingandregret.Butmorebewilderingthanall,itwasherselfthatmovedthere,paintedwiththelovinghandofthenarrator.Forthefirsttimesheexperiencedthedeliciousflatteryofseeingherselfasonlyalovercouldseeher.Thesmallestdetailofhercostumewassuggestedwithanaccuracythatpleasantlythrilledherfemininesense.Thegraceofherfigureslowlymovingthroughtheshadow,thecurvesofherarmandthedelicacyofherhandthatheldthebridlerein,thegentleglowofhersoftlyroundedcheek,thesweetmysteryofherveiledeyesandforehead,andtheescapinggoldofherlovelyhairbeneathherhatwereallinturnmasterfullytouchedortenderlysuggested.Andwhentothiswasaddedthefaintperfumeofhernearerpresence——
　　thescentshealwaysused——thedelicaterevelationsofherwithdrawngauntlet,thebraceletclaspingherwhitewrist,andatlastthethrillingcontactofhersofthandonhisarm,——sheputdownthemanuscriptandblushedlikeaverygirl.Thenshestarted.
　　Ashout!——HISvoicesurely!——andthesoundofoarsintheirrowlocks.
　　Aninstantrevulsionoffeelingovertookher.Withaquickmovementsheinstantlyhidthemanuscriptbeneathhercloakandstooduperectandindignant.Nottwentyyardsaway,apparentlyadvancingfromtheoppositeshoreofthebay,wasaboat.ItcontainedonlyJohnMilton,restingonhisoarsandscanningthegroupofrocksanxiously.Hisface,whichwasquitestrainedwithanxiety,suddenlyflushedwhenhesawher,andthenrecognizingtheunmistakablesignificanceofherlookandattitude,paledoncemore.Hebentoverhisoarsagain;afewstrokesbroughthimclosetotherock.
　　"Ibegyourpardon,"hesaidhesitatingly,asheturnedtowardsherandlaidasidehisoars,"but——Ithought——youwere——indanger."
　　Sheglancedquicklyroundher.Shehadforgottenthetide!Theledgebetweenherandtheshorewasalreadyafootunderbrownsea-
　　water.Yetifshehadnotthoughtthatitwouldlookridiculous,shewouldhaveleapeddowneventhenandwadedashore.
　　"It'snothing,"shesaidcoldly,withtheairofonetowhomthesituationwasaneverydayoccurrence;"it'sonlyafewstepsandaslightwetting——andmybrotherwouldhavebeenhereinamomentmore."
　　JohnMilton'sfrankeyesmadenosecretofhismortification."I
　　oughtnottohavedisturbedyou,Iknow,"hesaidquickly,"Ihadnoright.ButIwasontheothershoreoppositeandIsawyoucomedownhere——thatis"——heblushedprodigiously——"IthoughtitMIGHT
　　BEyou——andIventured——Imean——won'tyouletmerowyouashore?"
　　Thereseemedtobenoreasonableexcuseforrefusing.Sheslippedquicklyintotheboatwithoutwaitingforhishelpinghand,avoidingthatcontactwhichonlyamomentagoshewastryingtorecall.
　　Afewstrokesbroughtthemashore.Hecontinuedhisexplanationwiththehopelessfranknessandpersistencyofyouthandinexperience."Ionlycameherethedaybeforeyesterday.Iwouldnothavecome,butMr.Fletcher,whohasacottageontheothershore,sentformetooffermemyoldplaceonthe'Clarion.'I
　　hadnoideaofintrudinguponyourprivacybycallingherewithoutpermission."
　　Mrs.Ashwoodhadresumedherconventionalcourtesywithouthoweverlosingherfemininedesiretomakehercompanionpayfortheagitationhehadcausedher."Wewouldhavebeenalwayspleasedtoseeyou,"shesaidvaguely,"andIhope,asyouareherenow,youwillcomewithmetothehotel.Mybrother"——
　　Buthestillretainedhisholdoftheboat-ropewithoutmoving,andcontinued,"Isawyouyesterday,throughthetelescope,sittinginyourbalcony;andlateratnightIthinkitwasyourshadowIsawneartheblueshadedlampinthesitting-roombythewindow,——I
　　don'tmeantheREDLAMPthatyouhaveinyourownroom.Iwatchedyouuntilyouputoutthebluelampandlittheredone.Itellyouthis——because——because——IthoughtyoumightbereadingamanuscriptIsentyou.Atleast,"hesmiledfaintly,"ILIKEDtothinkitso."
　　Inherpresentmoodthisstruckheronlyaspersistentandsomewhategotistical.Butshefeltherselfnowongroundwhereshecoulddealfirmlywithhim.
　　"Oh,yes,"shesaidgravely."Igotitandthankyouverymuchforit.Iintendedtowritetoyou."
　　"Don't,"hesaid,lookingatherfixedly."Icanseeyoudon'tlikeit."
　　"Onthecontrary,"shesaidpromptly,"Ithinkitbeautifullywritten,andveryingeniousinplotandsituation.Ofcourseitisn'tthestoryItoldyou——Ididn'texpectthat,forI'mnotagenius.Themanisnotatalllikemycousin,youknow,andthewoman——wellreally,totellthetruth,SHEissimplyinconceivable!"
　　"Youthinkso?"hesaidgravely.Hehadbeengazingabstractedlyatsomeshiningbrownseaweedinthewater,andwhenheraisedhiseyestoherstheyseemedtohavecaughtitscolor.
　　"Thinkso?I'mpositive!There'snosuchawoman;sheisn'tHUMAN.Butletuswalktothehotel."
　　"Thankyou,butImustgobacknow."
　　"Butatleastletmybrotherthankyoufortakinghisplace——inrescuingme.ItwassothoughtfulinyoutoputoffatoncewhenyousawIwassurrounded.Imighthavebeeningreatdanger."
　　"Pleasedon'tmakefunofme,Mrs.Ashwood,"hesaidwithafaintreturnofhisboyishsmile."Youknowtherewasnodanger.Ihaveonlyinterruptedyouinanaporareverie——andIcanseenowthatyouevidentlycameheretobealone."
　　Holdingthemanuscriptmorecloselyhiddenunderthefoldsofhercloak,shesmiledenigmatically."IthinkIDID,anditseemsthatthetidethoughtsotoo,andacteduponit.Butyouwillcomeuptothehotelwithme,surely?"
　　"No,Iamgoingbacknow."Therewasasuddenfirmnessabouttheyoungfellowwhichshehadneverbeforenoticed.Thiswasevidentlythecreaturewhohadmarriedinspiteofhisfamily.
　　"Won'tyoucomebacklongenoughtotakeyourmanuscript?IwillpointoutthepartIreferto,and——wewilltalkitover."
　　"Thereisnonecessity.Iwrotetoyouthatyoumightkeepit;itisyours;itwaswrittenforyouandnoneother.Itisquiteenoughformetoknowthatyouweregoodenoughtoreadit.Butwillyoudoonethingmoreforme?Readitagain!Ifyoufindanythinginitthesecondtimetochangeyourviews——ifyoufind"——
　　"Iwillletyouknow,"shesaidquickly."IwillwritetoyouasI
　　intended."
　　"No,Ididn'tmeanthat.Imeantthatifyoufoundthewomanlessinconceivableandmorehuman,don'twritetome,butputyourredlampinyourwindowinsteadoftheblueone.Iwillwatchforitandseeit."
　　"IthinkIwillbeabletoexplainmyselfmuchbetterwithsimplepenandink,"shesaiddryly,"anditwillbemuchmoreusefultoyou."
　　Heliftedhishatgravely,shovedofftheboat,leapedintoit,andbeforeshecouldholdoutherhandwastwentyfeetaway.Sheturnedandranquicklyuptherocks.Whenshereachedthehotel,shecouldseetheboatalreadyhalfacrossthebay.
　　Enteringhersitting-roomshefoundthatherbrother,tiredofwaitingforher,haddrivenout.Takingthehiddenmanuscriptfromhercloakshetosseditwithaslightgestureofimpatienceonthetable.Thenshesummonedthelandlord.
　　"Isthereatownacrossthebay?"
　　"No!thewholemountain-sidebelongstoDonDiegoFletcher.HelivesawaybackinthecoastrangeatLosGatos,buthehasacottageandmillonthebeach."
　　"DonDiegoFletcher——Fletcher!IsheaSpaniardthen?"
　　"Halfandhalf,Ireckon;he'sfromthelowercountry,Ibelieve."
　　"Ishehereoften?"
　　"Notmuch;hehasmillsatLosGatos,wheatranchesatSantaClara,andownsanewspaperin'Frisco!Buthe'sherenow.Therewerelightsinhishouselastnight,andhiscutterliesoffthepoint."
　　"Couldyougetasmallpackageandnotetohim?"
　　"Certainly;itisonlyarowacrossthebay."
　　"Thankyou."
　　WithoutremovingherhatandcloakshesatdownatthetableandbeganalettertoDonDiegoFletcher.Shebeggedtoinclosetohimamanuscriptwhichshewassatisfied,fortheinterestsofitsauthor,wasbetterinhishandsthanhers.Ithadbeengiventoherbytheauthor,Mr.J.M.Harcourt,whomsheunderstoodwasengagedonMr.Fletcher'spaper,the"Clarion."Infact,ithadbeenwrittenatHERsuggestion,andfromanincidentinreallifeofwhichshewascognizant.ShewassorrytosaythatonaccountofsomeveryfoolishcriticismofherownastotheFACTS,thetalentedyoungauthorhadbecomesodissatisfiedwithitastomakeitpossiblethat,iflefttohimself,thisverycharmingandbeautifullywrittenstorywouldremainunpublished.AsanadmirerofMr.Harcourt'sgenius,andafriendofhisfamily,shefeltthatsuchaneventwouldbedeplorable,andshethereforebeggedtoleaveittoMr.Fletcher'sdelicacyandtacttoarrangewiththeauthorforitspublication.SheknewthatMr.Fletcherhadonlytoreadittobeconvincedofitsremarkableliterarymerit,andsheagainwouldimpressuponhimthefactthatherplayfulandthoughtlesscriticism——whichwaspersonalandconfidential——wasonlybaseduponthecircumstancesthattheauthorhadreallymadeamorebeautifulandtouchingstorythanthepoorfactswhichshehadfurnishedseemedtowarrant.ShehadonlyjustlearnedthefortunatecircumstancethatMr.Fletcherwasintheneighborhoodofthehotelwhereshewasstayingwithherbrother.
　　Withthesamepractical,business-likedirectness,butperhapsacertainunbusiness-likehastesuperadded,sherolledupthemanuscriptanddispatcheditwiththeletter.
　　Thisdone,however,aslightreactionsetin,andhavingtakenoffherhatandshawl,shedroppedlistlesslyonachairbythewindow,butassuddenlyroseandtookaseatinthedarkerpartoftheroom.Shefeltthatshehaddoneright,thathighestbutmostdepressingofhumanconvictions!Itwasentirelyforhisgood.
　　Therewasnoreasonwhyhisbestinterestsshouldsufferforhisfolly.Ifanybodywastosufferitwasshe.Butwhatnonsensewasshethinking!Shewouldwritetohimlaterwhenshewasalittlecooler,——asshehadsaid.Butthenhehaddistinctlytoldher,andveryrudelytoo,thathedidn'twanthertowrite.WantedhertomakeSIGNALStohim,——theidiot!andprobablywasevennowwatchingherwithatelescope.Itwasreallytoopreposterous!
　　Theresultwasthatherbrotherfoundheronhisreturninasomewhatuncertainmood,and,asacounselor,variableandconflictinginjudgment.IfthisClementina,whoseemedtohavethefamilyqualitiesofobstinacyandaudacity,reallycaredforhim,shecertainlywouldn'tletdelicacystandinthewayoflettinghimknowit——andhewasthereforesafetowaitalittle.Afewmomentslater,shelanguidlydeclaredthatshewasafraidthatshewasnocounselorinsuchmatters;reallyshewasgettingtoooldtotakeanyinterestinthatsortofthing,andsheneverhadbeenamatchmaker!Bythewaynow,wasn'titoddthatthisneighbor,thatrichcapitalistacrossthebay,shouldbecalledFletcher,and"JamesFletcher"too,forDiegomeant"James"inSpanish.Exactlythesamenameaspoor"CousinJim"whodisappeared.DidherememberheroldplaymateJim?Butherbrotherthoughtsomethingelsewasadeucedsightmoreodd,namely,thatthissameDonDiegoFletcherwassaidtobeverysweetonClementinanow,andwasalwaysinhercompanyattheRamirez.Andthat,withthis"Clarion"apologyonthetopofit,lookedinfernallyqueer.
　　Mrs.Ashwoodfeltasuddenconsternation.Herehadshe——Jack'ssister——justbeentakingJack'sprobablerivalintoconfidentialcorrespondence!SheturneduponJacksharply:——
　　"Whydidn'tyousaythatbefore?"
　　"Ididtellyou,"hesaidgloomily,"butyoudidn'tlisten.Butwhatdifferencedoesitmaketoyounow?"
　　"Nonewhatever,"saidMrs.Ashwoodcalmlyasshewalkedoutoftheroom.
　　Neverthelesstheafternoonpassedwearily,andherusualrideintotheuplandcanyondidnotreanimateher.Forreasonsknownbesttoherselfshedidnottakeherafter-dinnerstrollalongtheshoretowatchtheoutlyingfog.Atacomparativelyearlyhour,whiletherewasstillaroseateglowinthewesternsky,sheappearedwithgrimdeliberation,andthebluelamp-shadeinherhand,andplaceditoverthelampwhichshelitandstoodonhertablebesidethewindow.Thisdoneshesatdownandbegantowritewithbright-eyedbutviciouscomplacency.
　　"Butyoudon'twantthatlightANDthewindow,Constance,"saidJackwonderingly.
　　Mrs.Ashwoodcouldnotstandthedreadfultwilight.
　　"Buttakeawayyourlampandyou'llhavelightenoughfromthesunset,"respondedJack.
　　Thatwasjustwhatshedidn'twant!Thelightfromthewindowwasthathorridvulgarredglowwhichshehated.ItmightbeveryromanticandsuitloverslikeJack,butasSHEhadsomeworktodo,shewantedtheblueshadeofthelamptocorrectthatdreadfulglare.
　　CHAPTERXII.
　　JohnMiltonhadrowedbackwithoutliftinghiseyestoMrs.
　　Ashwood'srecedingfigure.Hebelievedthathewasrightindecliningherinvitation,althoughhehadamiserablefeelingthatitentailedseeingherforthelasttime.Withallthathebelievedwashispreviousexperienceoftheaffections,hewasstillsountutoredastobeconfusedastohisreasonsfordeclining,orhisrighttohavebeenshockedanddisappointedathermanner.Itseemedtohimsufficientlyplainthathehadoffendedthemostperfectwomanhehadeverknownwithoutknowingmore.Thefeelinghehadforherwasnonethelesspowerfulbecause,inhisgreatsimplicity,itwasvagueandunformulated.
　　Anditwasapartofthisstrangesimplicitythatinhismiserablelonelinesshisthoughtsturnedunconsciouslytohisdeadwifeforsympathyandconsolation.Loowouldhaveunderstoodhim!
　　Mr.Fletcher,whohadreceivedhimonhisarrivalwithsingulareffusivenessandcordiality,hadputofftheirfinalarrangementsuntilafterdinner,onaccountofpressingbusiness.ItwasthereforewithsomesurprisethatanhourbeforethetimehewassummonedtoFletcher'sroom.Hewasstillmoresurprisedtofindhimsittingathisdesk,fromwhichanumberofbusinesspapersandlettershadbeenhurriedlythrustasidetomakewayforamanuscript.
　　AsingleglanceatitwasenoughtoshowtheunhappyJohnMiltonthatitwastheonehehadsenttoMrs.Ashwood.Thecolorflashedtohischeekandhefeltamistbeforehiseyes.Hisemployer'sface,onthecontrary,wasquitepale,andhiseyeswerefixedonHarcourtwithasingularintensity.Hisvoicetoo,althoughundergreatcontrol,washardandstrange.
　　"Readthat,"hesaid,handingtheyoungmanaletter.
　　ThecoloragainstreamedintoJohnMilton'sfaceasherecognizedthehandofMrs.Ashwood,andremainedtherewhilehereadit.
　　Whenheputitdown,however,heraisedhisfrankeyestoFletcher's,andsaidwithacertaindignityandmanliness:"Whatshesaysisthetruth,sir.ButitisIalonewhoamatfault.
　　ThismanuscriptismerelyMYstupidideaofaverysimplestoryshewasoncekindenoughtotellmewhenweweretalkingofstrangeoccurrencesinreallife,whichshethoughtImightsometimemakeuseofinmywork.Itriedtoembellishit,andfailed.That'sall.Iwilltakeitback,——itwaswrittenonlyforher."
　　Therewassuchanirresistibletruthfulnessandsincerityinhisvoiceandmanner,thatanyideaofcomplicitywiththesenderwasdismissedfromFletcher'smind.AsHarcourt,however,extendedhishandforthemanuscriptFletcherinterfered.
　　"Youforgetthatyougaveittoher,andshehassentittome.IfIdon'tkeepit,itcanbereturnedtoheronly.NowmayIaskwhoisthisladywhotakessuchaninterestinyourliterarycareer?
　　Haveyouknownherlong?Issheafriendofyourfamily?"
　　Theslightsneerthataccompaniedhisquestionrestoredthenaturalcolortotheyoungman'sface,butkindledhiseyeominously.
　　"No,"hesaidbriefly."ImetheraccidentallyabouttwomonthsagoandasaccidentallyfoundoutthatshehadtakenaninterestinoneofthefirstthingsIeverwroteforyourpaper.Sheneitherknewyounorme.Itwasthenthatshetoldmethisstory;shedidnoteventhenknowwhoIwas,thoughshehadmetsomeofmyfamily.
　　Shewasverygoodandhasgenerouslytriedtohelpme."
　　Fletcher'seyesremainedfixeduponhim.
　　"ButthistellsmeonlyWHATsheis,notWHOsheis."
　　"Iamafraidyoumustinquireofherbrother,Mr.Shipley,"saidHarcourtcurtly.
　　"Shipley?"
　　"Yes;heistravelingwithherforhishealth,andtheyaregoingsouthwhentherainscome.TheyarewealthyPhiladelphians,I
　　believe,and——andsheisawidow."
　　Fletcherpickeduphernoteandglancedagainatthesignature,"ConstanceAshwood."Therewasamomentofsilence,whenheresumedinquiteadifferentvoice:"It'soddInevermetthemnortheyme."
　　Asheseemedtobewaitingforaresponse,JohnMiltonsaidsimply:
　　"Isupposeit'sbecausetheyhavenotbeenherelong,andaresomewhatreserved."