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with　her　hostess　in　the　morning　room　of　Hillcrest；　which　commanded　a　lovely　though　distant　view　of　Long　Island　Sound。

Mrs。　Fredericka　Batjer　was　a　chestnut　blonde；　fair；　cool；　quiescent　a　type　out　of　Dutch　art。　　Clad　in　a　morning　gown　of　gray　and　silver；　her　hair　piled　in　a　Psyche　knot；　she　had　in　her　lap　on　this　occasion　a　Java　basket　filled　with　some　attempt　at　Norwegian　needlework。

〃Bevy；〃　she　said；　〃you　remember　Kilmer　Duelma；　don't　you？　Wasn't　he　at　the　Haggertys'　last　summer　when　you　were　there？〃

Berenice；　who　was　seated　at　a　small　Chippendale　writing…desk　penning　letters；　glanced　up；　her　mind　visioning　for　the　moment　the　youth　in　question。　　Kilmer　Duelmatall；　stocky；　swaggering；　his　clothes　the　loose；　nonchalant　perfection　of　the　season；　his　walk　ambling；　studied；　lackadaisical；　aimless；　his　color　high；　his　cheeks　full；　his　eyes　a　little　vacuous；　his　mind　acquiescing　in　a　sort　of　genial；　inconsequential　way　to　every　query　and　thought　that　was　put　to　him。　　The　younger　of　the　two　sons　of　Auguste　Duelma；　banker；　promoter；　multimillionaire；　he　would　come　into　a　fortune　estimated　roughly　at　between　six　and　eight　millions。　　At　the　Haggertys'　the　year　before　he　had　hung　about　her　in　an　aimless　fashion。

Mrs。　Batjer　studied　Berenice　curiously　for　a　moment；　then　returned　to　her　needlework。　　〃I've　asked　him　down　over　this　week…end；〃　she　suggested。

〃Yes？〃　queried　Berenice；　sweetly。　　〃Are　there　others？〃

〃Of　course；〃　assented　Mrs。　Batjer；　remotely。　　〃Kilmer　doesn't　interest　you；　I　presume。〃

Berenice　smiled　enigmatically。

〃You　remember　Clarissa　Faulkner；　don't　you；　Bevy？〃　pursued　Mrs。　Batjer。　　〃She　married　Romulus　Garrison。〃

〃Perfectly。　　Where　is　she　now？〃

〃They　have　leased　the　Chateau　Brieul　at　Ars　for　the　winter。　　Romulus　is　a　fool；　but　Clarissa　is　so　clever。　　You　know　she　writes　that　she　is　holding　a　veritable　court　there　this　season。　　Half　the　smart　set　of　Paris　and　London　are　dropping　in。　　It　is　so　charming　for　her　to　be　able　to　do　those　things　now。　　Poor　dear！　At　one　time　I　was　quite　troubled　over　her。〃

Without　giving　any　outward　sign　Berenice　did　not　fail　to　gather　the　full　import　of　the　analogy。　　It　was　all　true。　　One　must　begin　early　to　take　thought　of　one's　life。　　She　suffered　a　disturbing　sense　of　duty。　　Kilmer　Duelma　arrived　at　noon　Friday　with　six　types　of　bags；　a　special　valet；　and　a　preposterous　enthusiasm　for　polo　and　hunting　（diseases　lately　acquired　from　a　hunting　set　in　the　Berkshires）。　　A　cleverly　contrived　compliment　supposed　to　have　emanated　from　Miss　Fleming　and　conveyed　to　him　with　tact　by　Mrs。　Batjer　brought　him　ambling　into　Berenice's　presence　suggesting　a　Sunday　drive　to　Saddle　Rock。

〃Haw！　haw！　You　know；　I'm　deiighted　to　see　you　again。　　Haw！　haw！　It's　been　an　age　since　I've　seen　the　Haggertys。　　We　missed　you　after　you　left。　　Haw！　haw！　I　did；　you　know。　　Since　I　saw　you　I　have　taken　up　polothree　ponies　with　me　all　the　time　nowhaw！　haw！a　regular　stable　nearly。〃

Berenice　strove　valiantly　to　retain　a　serene　interest。　　Duty　was　in　her　mind；　the　Chateau　Brieul；　the　winter　court　of　Clarissa　Garrison；　some　first　premonitions　of　the　flight　of　time。　　Yet　the　drive　was　a　bore；　conversation　a　burden；　the　struggle　to　respond　titanic；　impossible。　　When　Monday　came　she　fled；　leaving　three　days　between　that　and　a　week…end　at　Morristown。　　Mrs。　Batjerwho　read　straws　most　capablysighed。　　Her　own　Corscaden　was　not　much　beyond　his　money；　but　life　must　be　lived　and　the　ambitious　must　inherit　wealth　or　gather　it　wisely。　　Some　impossible　scheming　silly　would　soon　collect　Duelma；　and　then　She　considered　Berenice　a　little　difficult。

Berenice　could　not　help　piecing　together　the　memory　of　this　incident　with　her　mother's　recent　appeal　in　behalf　of　Lieutenant　Braxmar。　　A　great；　cloying；　disturbing；　disintegrating　factor　in　her　life　was　revealed　by　the　dawning　discovery　that　she　and　her　mother　were　without　much　money；　that　aside　from　her　lineage　she　was　in　a　certain　sense　an　interloper　in　society。　　There　were　never　rumors　of　great　wealth　in　connection　with　herno　flattering　whispers　or　public　notices　regarding　her　station　as　an　heiress。　　All　the　smug　minor　manikins　of　the　social　world　were　on　the　qui　vive　for　some　cotton…headed　doll　of　a　girl　with　an　endless　bank…account。　　By　nature　sybaritic；　an　intense　lover　of　art　fabrics；　of　stately　functions；　of　power　and　success　in　every　form；　she　had　been　dreaming　all　this　while　of　a　great　soul…freedom　and　art…freedom　under　some　such　circumstances　as　the　greatest　individual　wealth　of　the　day；　and　only　that；　could　provide。　　Simultaneously　she　had　vaguely　cherished　the　idea　that　if　she　ever　found　some　one　who　was　truly　fond　of　her；　and　whom　she　could　love　or　even　admire　intenselysome　one　who　needed　her　in　a　deep；　sincere　wayshe　would　give　herself　freely　and　gladly。　　Yet　who　could　it　be？　She　had　been　charmed　by　Braxmar；　but　her　keen；　analytic　intelligence　required　some　one　harder；　more　vivid；　more　ruthless；　some　one　who　would　appeal　to　her　as　an　immense　force。　　Yet　she　must　be　conservative；　she　must　play　what　cards　she　had　to　win。

During　his　summer　visit　at　Narragansett　Cowperwood　had　not　been　long　disturbed　by　the　presence　of　Braxmar；　for；　having　received　special　orders；　the　latter　was　compelled　to　hurry　away　to　Hampton　Roads。　　But　the　following　November；　forsaking　temporarily　his　difficult　affairs　in　Chicago　for　New　York　and　the　Carter　apartment　in　Central　Park　South；　Cowperwood　again　encountered　the　Lieutenant；　who　arrived　one　evening　brilliantly　arrayed　in　full　official　regalia　in　order　to　escort　Berenice　to　a　ball。　　A　high　military　cap　surmounting　his　handsome　face；　his　epaulets　gleaming　in　gold；　the　lapels　of　his　cape　thrown　back　to　reveal　a　handsome　red　silken　lining；　his　sword　clanking　by　his　side；　he　seemed　a　veritable　singing　flame　of　youth。　　Cowperwood；　caught　in　the　drift　of　circumstanceage；　unsuitableness；　the　flaring　counter…attractions　of　romance　and　vigorfairly　writhed　in　pain。

Berenice　was　so　beautiful　in　a　storm　of　diaphanous　clinging　garments。　He　stared　at　them　from　an　adjacent　room；　where　he　pretended　to　be　reading；　and　sighed。　　Alas；　how　was　his　cunning　and　foresight　even　histo　overcome　the　drift　of　life　itself？　How　was　he　to　make　himself　appealing　to　youth？　Braxmar　had　the　years；　the　color；　the　bearing。　　Berenice　seemed　to…night；　as　she　prepared　to　leave；　to　be　fairly　seething　with　youth；　hope；　gaiety。　　He　arose　after　a　few　moments　and；　giving　business　as　an　excuse；　hurried　away。　　But　it　was　only　to　sit　in　his　own　rooms　in　a　neighboring　hotel　and　meditate。　　The　logic　of　the　ordinary　man　under　such　circumstances；　compounded　of　the　age…old　notions　of　chivalry；　self…sacrifice；　duty　to　higher　impulses；　and　the　like；　would　have　been　to　step　aside　in　favor　of　youth；　to　give　convention　its　day；　and　retire　in　favor　of　morality　and　virtue。　　Cowperwood　saw　things　in　no　such　moralistic　or　altruistic　light。　　〃I　satisfy　myself；〃　had　ever　been　his　motto；　and　under　that；　however　much　he　might　sympathize　with　Berenice　in　love　or　with　love　itself；　he　was　not　content　to　withdraw　until　he　was　sure　that　the　end　of　hope　for　him　had　really　come。　There　had　been　moments　between　him　and　Berenicelittle　approximations　toward　intimacywhich　had　led　him　to　believe　that　by　no　means　was　she　seriously　opposed　to　him。　　At　the　same　time　this　business　of　the　Lieutenant；　so　Mrs。　Carter　confided　to　him　a　little　later；　was　not　to　be　regarded　lightly。　　While　Berenice　might　not　care　so　much；　obviously　Braxmar　did。

〃Ever　since　he　has　been　away　he　has　been　storming　her　with　letters；〃　she　remarked　to　Cowperwood；　one　afternoon。　　〃I　don't　think　he　is　the　kind　that　can　be　made　to　take　no　for　an　answer。

〃A　very　successful　kind；〃　commented　Cowperwood；　dryly。　　Mrs。　Carter　was　eager　for　advice　in　the　matter。　　Braxmar　was　a　man　of　parts。　　She　knew　his　connections。　　He　would　inherit　at　least　six　hundred　thousand　dollars　at　his　father's　death；　if　not　more。　　What　about　her　Louisville　record？　Supposing　that　should　come　out　later？　Would　it　not　be　wise　for　Berenice　to　marry；　and　have　the　danger　over　with？

〃It　is　a　problem；　isn't　it？〃　observed　Cowperwood；　calmly。　　〃Are　you　sure　she's　in　love？〃

〃Oh；　I　wouldn't　say　that；　but　such　things　so　easily　turn　into　love。　I　have　never　believed　that　Berenice　could　be　swept　off　her　feet　by　any　oneshe　is　so　thoughtfulbut　she　knows　she　has　her　own　way　to　make　in　the　world；　and　Mr。　Braxmar　is　certainly　eligible。　　I　know　his　cousins；　the　Clifford　Porters；　very　well。〃

Cowperwood　knitted　his　brows。　　He　was　sick　to　his　soul　with　this　worry　over　Berenice。　　He　felt　that　he　must　have　her；　even　at　the　cost　of　inflicting　upon　her　a　serious　social　injury。　　Better　that　she　should　surmount　it　with　him　than　escape　it　with　another。　　It　so　happened；　however；　that　the　final　grim　necessity　of　acting　on　any　such　idea　was　spared　him。

Imagine　a　dining…room　in　one　of　the　principal　hotels　of　New　York；　the　hour　midnight；　after　an　evening　at　the　opera；　to　which　Cowperwood；　as　host；　had　invited　Berenice；　Lieutenant　Braxmar；　and　Mrs。　Carter。　He　was　now　playing　the　role　of　disinterested　host　and　avuncular　mentor。

His　attitude　toward　Berenice；　meditating；　as　he　was；　a　course　which　should　be　destructive　to　Braxmar；　was　gentle；　courteous；　serenely　thoughtful。　　Like　a　true　Mephistopheles　he　was　waiting；　surveying　Mrs。　Carter　and　Berenice；　who　were　seated　in　front　chairs　clad　in　such　exotic　draperies　as　opera…goers　affectMrs。　Carter　in　pale…lemon　silk　and　diamonds；　Berenice　in　purple　and　old…rose；　with　a　jeweled　comb　in　her　hair。　　The　Lieutenant　in　his　dazzling　uniform　smiled　and　talked　blandly；　complimented　the　singers；　whispered　pleasant　nothings　to　Berenice；　descanted　at　odd　moments　to　Cowperwood　on　naval　personages　who　happened　to　be　present。　Coming　out　of　the　opera　and　driving　through　blowy；　windy　streets　to　the　Waldorf；　they　took　the　table　reserved　for　them；　and　Cowperwood；　after　consulting　with　regard　to　the　dishes　and　ordering　the　wine；　went　back　reminiscently　to　the　music；　which　had　been　〃La　Boheme。〃　The　death　of　Mimi　and　the　grief　of　Rodolph；　as　voiced　by　the　splendid　melodies　of　Puccini；　interested　him。

〃That　makeshift　studio　world　may　have　no　connection　with　the　genuine　professional　artist；　but　it's　very　representative　of　life；〃　he　remarked。

〃I　don't　know；　I'm　sure；〃