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day。　　No　one；　NO　ONE；　can　lead　this　kind　of　life　without　being　dragged　down；　without　becoming　selfish　and　sordid　and　cruel。〃

〃You　don't　understand；〃　he　said　curtly；　without　looking　at　her。　　〃I　never　heard　of　suchsuch　sentimentalism。〃

She　winced　and　was　silent；　sat　watching　his　bold；　strong　profile。　　Presently　she　said　in　a　changed；　strange；　strained　voice：　　〃What　I　asked　to　see　you　for　wasJohn；　won't　you　put　the　pricesat　least　where　they　were　at　the　beginning　of　this　dreadful　winter？〃

〃OhI　see！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃You've　been　listening　to　the　lies　about　me。〃

〃READING；〃　she　said；　her　eyes　flashing　at　the　insult　in　the　accusation　that　she　had　let　people　attack　him　to　her。

〃Well；　reading　then；〃　he　went　on；　wondering　what　he　had　said　that　angered　her。　　And　he　made　an　elaborate　explanationabout　〃the　necessity　of　meeting　fixed　charges〃　which　he　himself　had　fixed；　about　〃fair　share　of　prosperity；〃　〃everything　more　expensive；〃　〃the　country　better　able　to　pay；〃　〃every　one　doing　as　we　are；〃　and　so　on。

She　listened　closely；　she　had　not　come　ignorant　of　the　subject；　and　she　penetrated　his　sophistries。　　When　he　saw　her　expression；　saw　he　had　failed　to　convince　her；　into；　his　eyes　came　the　look　she　understood　wellthe　look　that　told　her　she　would　only　infuriate　him　and　bruise　herself　by　flinging　herself　against　the　iron　of　his　resolve。

〃You　must　let　me　attend　to　my　own　business；〃　he　ended；　his　tone　good…natured；　his　eyes　hard。

She　sat　staring　into　the　fire　for　several　minutesfrom　her　eyes　looked　a　will　as　strong　as　his。　　Then　she　rose　and；　her　voice　lower　than　before　but　vibrating；　said：　　〃All　round　ushere　in　New　Yorkall　over　this　countryaway　off　in　EuropeI　can　see　themI　can　feel　themSUFFERING！　　As　you　yourself　said；　it's　HORRIBLY　cold！〃　　She　drew　herself　up　and　faced　him；　a　light　in　her　eyes　before　which　he　visibly　shrank。　　〃Yes；　it's　YOUR　business。　　But　it　shan't　be　mine　or　MY　boy's！〃

And　she　left　the　room。　　In　the　morning　she　returned　to　Dawn　Hill　and　arranged　her　affairs　so　that　she　would　be　free　to　go。　　Not　since　the　spring　day；　nearly　nine　years　before；　when　she　began　that　Vergil　lesson　which　ended　in　a　lesson　in　the　pitilessness　of　consequences　that　was　not　yet　finished；　had　her　heart　been　so　light；　so　hopeful。　　In　vain　she　reminded　herself　that　the　doing　of　this　larger　duty；　so　imperative；　nevertheless　endangered　her　father　and　mother。　　〃They　will　be　proud　that　I'm　doing　it；〃　she　assured　herself。

〃For　Gardiner's　sake；　as　well　as　for　mine；　they'll　be　glad　I　separated　him　and　myself　from　this　debased　life。　　They　willthey　MUST；　since　it　is　right！〃　　And　already　she　felt　the　easing　of　the　bonds　that　had　never　failed　to　cut　deeper　into　the　living　flesh　whenever　she　had　ventured　to　hope　that　she　was　at　last　growing　used　to　them。

〃Free！〃　she　said　to　herself　exultantly。　　She　dared　to　exult；　but　she　did　not　dare　to　express　to　herself　the　hopes；　the　wild；　incredible　hopes；　which　the　very　thought　of　freedom　set　to　quivering　deep　down　in　her；　as　the　first　warmth　makes　the　life　toss　in　its　slumber　in　the　planted　seed。

On　Friday　she　came　up　to　New　York　late　in　the　afternoon；　and　in　the　evening　went　to　the　operafor　a　last　look　round。　　As　the　lights　were　lowering　for　the　rise　of　the　curtain　on　the　second　act；　Leonora　and　her　husband　entered　the　box。　　She　had　forgotten　inviting　them。　　She　gave　Leonora　the　chair　in　front　and　took　the　one　behindMillicent　Rowland；　whom　she　herself　brought；　had　the　other　front　seat。　　As　her　chair　was　midway　between　the　two；　she　was　seeing　across　Leonora's　shoulders。　　Presently　Dumont　came　in　and　took　the　chair　behind　Leonora's　and　leaned　forward；　his　chin　almost　touching　the　slope　of　her　neck　as　he　talked　to　her　in　an　undertone；　she　greatly　amused　or　pretending　to　be。

The　light　from　the　stage　fell　across　Leonora's　bosom；　fell　upon　a　magnificent　string　of　graduated　pearls　clasped　with　a　huge　solitaire　beyond　question　the　string　the　jeweler's　clerk　had　blunderingly　shown　her。　　And　there　was　Dumont's　heavy；　coarse　profile　outlined　against　Leonora's　cheek　and　throat；　her　cynical；　sensuous　profile　showing　just　beyond。

Open　sprang　a　hundred　doors　of　memory；　into　Pauline's　mind　was　discharged　avalanche　after　avalanche　of　dreadful　thoughts。　　〃No！　No！〃　she　protested。　　〃How　infamous　to　think　such　things　of　my　best　friend！〃　　But　she　tried　in　vain　to　thrust　suspicions；　accusations；　proofs；　back　into　the　closets。　　Instead；　she　sank　under　the　flood　of　themsick　and　certain。

When　the　lights　went　up　she　said：　　〃I'm　feeling　badly　all　at　once。　　I'm　afraid　I'll　have　to　take　you　home；　Milly。〃

〃Are　you　ill；　dear？〃　asked　Leonora。

〃Oh；　nojust　faint；〃　she　replied；　in　a　voice　which　she　succeeded　in　making　fairly　natural。

〃Please　don't　move。　　Stay　onyou　really　must。〃

The　other　manShenstonehelped　her　and　Millicent　with　their　wraps　and　accompanied　them　to　their　carriage。　　When　she　had　set　Millicent　down　she　drew　a　long　breath　of　relief。　　For　the　first　time　in　seven　years　her　course　lay　straight　before　her。　　〃I　must　be　free！〃　she　said。　　〃I　must　be　ENTIRELY　freefree　before　the　whole　worldI　and　my　boy。〃


The　next　morning；　in　the　midst　of　her　preparations　to　take　the　ten…o'clock　limited　for　the　West；　her　maid　brought　a　note　to　hera　copy　of　a　National　Woolens　Company　circular　to　the　trade；　setting　forth　that　〃owing　to　a　gratifying　easing　in　the　prices　for　raw　wool；　the　Company　are　able　to　announce　and　take　great　pleasure　in　announcing　a　ten　per　cent。　reduction。〃　　On　the　margin　Dumont　had　scrawled　〃To　go　out　to…morrow　and　to　be　followed　in　ten　days　by　fifteen　per　cent。　more。　　Couldn't　resist　your　appeal。〃　　Thus　by　the　sheer　luck　that　had　so　often　supplemented　his　skill　and　mitigated　his　mistakes；　he　had　yielded　to　her　plea　just　in　time　to　confuse　the　issue　between　her　and　him。

She　read　the　circular　and　the　scrawl　with　a　sinking　heart。　　〃Nevertheless；　I　shall　go！〃　she　tried　to　protest。　　〃True；　he　won't　send　out　this　circular　if　I　do。　　But　what　does　it　matter；　one　infamy　more　or　less　in　him？　　Besides；　he　will　accomplish　his　purpose　in　some　other　way　of　which　I　shall　not　know。〃　　But　this　was　only　the　beginning　of　the　battle。　　Punishment　on　punishment　for　an　act　which　seemed　right　at　the　time　had　made　her　morbid；　distrustful　of　herself。　　And　she　could　not　conquer　the　dread　lest　her　longing　to　be　free　was　blinding　her；　was　luring　her　on　to　fresh　calamities；　involving　all　whom　she　cared　for；　all　who　cared　for　her。　　Whichever　way　she　looked　she　could　see　only　a　choice　between　wrongs。　　To　stay　under　the　same　roof　with　him　or　at　Dawn　Hillself…respect　put　that　out　of　the　question。　　To　free　herselfhow　could　she；　when　it　meant　sacrificing　her　parents　and　also　the　thousands　shivering　under　the　extortions　of　his　monopoly？

In　the　end　she　chose　the　course　that　seemed　to　combine　the　least　evil　with　the　most　good。　　She　would　go　to　the　Eyrie；　and　the　world　and　her　father　and　mother　would　think　she　was　absenting　herself　from　her　husband　to　attend　to　the　bringing　up　of　her　boy。　　She　would　see　even　less　of　Scarborough　than　she　saw　when　she　was　last　at　Saint　X。

That　afternoon　she　wrote　to　Dumont：


Since　we　had　our　talk　I　have　found　out　about　Leonora。　　It　is　impossible　for　me　to　stay　here。　　I　shall　go　West　to…morrow。　　But　I　shall　not　go　to　my　father's；　because　of　your　circular　I　shall　go　to　the　Eyrie；　insteadat　least　for　the　present。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　PAULINE　DUMONT。


Two　weeks　after　she　was　again　settled　at　the　Eyrie；　Langdon　appeared　in　Saint　X；　alleging　business　at　the　National　Woolens'　factories　there。　　He　accepted　her　invitation　to　stay　with　her；　and　devoted　himself　to　Gladys；　who　took　up　her　flirtation　with　him　precisely　where　she　had　dropped　it　when　they　bade　each　the　other　a　mock…mournful　good…by　five　months　before。　　They　were　so　realistic　that　Pauline　came　to　the　satisfying　conclusion　that　her　sister…in…law　was　either　in　earnest　with　Langdon　or　not　in　earnest　with　anybody。　　If　she　had　not　been　avoiding　Scarborough；　she　would　probably　have　seen　Gladys'　real　gameto　use　Langdon　as　a　stalking　horse　for　him。

〃No　doubt　Scarborough；　like　all　men；　imagines　he's　above　jealousy；〃　Gladys　had　said　to　herself；　casting　her　keen　eyes　over　the　situation。　　〃But　there　never　was　a　man　who　didn't　race　better　with　a　pace…maker　than　on　an　empty　track。〃

Toward　the　end　of　Langdon's　first　week　Pauline's　suspicions　as　to　one　of　the　objects　of　his　winter　trip　West　were　confirmed　by　his　saying　quite　casually：　　〃Dumont's　dropped　Fanshaw；　and　Leonora's　talking　of　the　stage。　　In　fact；　she's　gone　abroad　to　study。〃

When　he　was　leaving；　after　nearly　three　weeks；　he　asked　her　when　she　was　coming　back　East。

〃NeverI　hope；〃　she　said；　her　fingers　playing　with　the　close…cropped　curls　of　her　boy　standing　beside　her。

〃I　fancied　soI　fancied　so；〃　replied　Langdon；　his　eyes　showing　that　he　understood　her　and　that　he　knew　she　understood　for　whom　he　had　asked。

〃You　are　going　to　stay　onat　the　Eyrie？〃

〃I　think　so；　unless　somethingdisquietingoccurs。　　I've　not　made　up　my　mind。　　Fate　plays　such　queer　tricks　that　I've　stopped　guessing　at　to…morrow。〃

〃What　was　it　Miss　Dumont's　friend；　Scarborough；　quoted　from　Spinoza　at　Atwater's　the　other　night？　　‘If　a　stone；　on　its　way　from　the　sling　through　the　air；　could　speak；　it　would　say；　〃How　free　I　am！'〃　　Is　that　the　way　you　feel？〃

There　came　into　Pauline's　eyes　a　look　of　pain　so　intense　that　he　glanced　away。

〃We　choose　a　path　blindfold；〃　she　said；　her　tone　as　light　as　her　look　was　dark；　〃and　we　must　go　where　it　goesthere's　no　other　ever　afterward。〃

〃But　if　it　leads　down？〃

〃All　the　PATHS　lead　up；〃　she　replied　with　a　sad　smile。　　〃It's　the　precipices　that　lead　down。〃

Gladys　joined　them　and　Langdon　said　to　her：

〃Well；　good…by；　Miss　Dumontdon't　get　married　till　you　see　me。〃　　He　patted　the　boy　on　the　shoulder。　　〃Good…by；　Gardinerremember；　we　men　must　always　be　brave；　and　gentle　with　the　ladies。　　Good…by；　Mrs。　Dumontkeep　away　from　the　precipices。　　And　if　you　should　want　to　come　back　to　us　you'll　have　no　trouble　in　finding　us。　　We're　a　lot　of　slow　old　rotters；　and　we'll　be　just　where　you　left　usyawning；　and　shying　at　new　people　and　at　all　new　ideas　except　about　clothes；　and　gossiping　about　each　other。〃　　And　he　was　in　the　auto　and　off　for　the　station。



XVII

TWO　AND　THE　BARRIER