Athalie

d of that oversight by the bank. He hunted about, casually, for stray fun

ed further and sordidly searching explanations concerning the expenditure o

violent inclinations toward reticence, non-communication, and finally secrecy; in fact he declined to proceed any further or to

ave been throwing away your income on that Gree

N

"If that's the case-why in the name of common sense do you spend so mu

er better than any other girl. She is really wonderful, father.

lieve

ve-"absolutely unself

it certainly seems to pay

very difficult for me to make her accept anything-even when she was in actual need. Our friendship is n

ver met any like her, but I've read about them in sentimental fiction. No doubt there's a basis for such popular heroine

hav

awaits you. In more modern metaphor; it's the same film every hour, every day, the same orchestrion, the same

id Clive,

tleman-rather exorbitantly. That's the way a gentleman always pays. So now suppose you return to your own sort and coyly reappear amid certain circl

been, always, a very tolera

's face gr

do any good. The longer I stay away from her, the more anx

love with her,

. No, I can't be. I'm ver

d you do i

ut

ld you do

n't k

ry h

nt, his mind crowded with the component parts of that vague sum-total

l. Also the mere idea of the storm such a proceeding would raise in the world he inhabited,

ha

e repeated, gazing rath

is father, curtly. "But I take yo

on, ashamed for himself, ashamed for Athalie, resenting even the exaggerated and grotesque possi

ssibly been pushed too far. Clive became restless

nversation having, somehow, chilled his desire to see her and

to Athalie. Which idea mortified him, and he resolved to remain away from her until he recovered his self-respect-which would

did he feel after the way his father had handled and bruised the delicat

weetness, the innocence, the candour of this blameless friendship had been marred.

fatigued at night. This lasted for a week or two-long enough to excite all real estate men with a hope for future pro

s went to the wall; and a seat was sold for $25,000 on the Exchange. Business resumed its normal and unexaggerated cou

released from college; the others were of the fashionable and semi-fashionable sort, tedious, monotonous, full of the

ambitious men, men gluttonously or alcoholically predisposed haunted these clubs. To one of them repaired those who wer

sport. Here dissipation, futile, aimless, meaningless, was on its native heath. Here, on his own stamping ground, prowled the youthful s

Clive encountered Cecil

ere often, do you

aid he

oing. Will you have a high one, Clive? In de

t to degrade himself for

honour done h

said: "I can't sit up all night, Cecil

k a

Clive encountered Cecil R

amusement. What

cked with Bacchus. At such psychological moments, too, he became indiscreet. And now he proposed t

hat I'll do. I'll give a Byzanti

shu

ne little g

ur to send out

er name is

y u

ne Green

ha

. She's a peach. Appropriately crowned with

she's all right, don't you?

that

he's a charming girl. All of them are

e of 'em's Catharine Greensleeve.

so stop talking about it

t worry, just because you

t home feeling vaguely irritated and even less inclined than ever to see

comfortable sense of home-coming, of conventionalism, of a pleasant social security, appealed to him after several months' irresponsible straying from familiar paths. And he began to go about the sheep-walks and enjoy it, slip

en. Always she answered hi

end of Apr

r At

ou; business-in a measure,-social duties; and, to tell the t

o infer everything delightful in the girl who has become my friend.

being with his

avoid unpleasant discussions I haven't gone to see you. But I am go

oung people cannot enjoy an absolutely hon

do everything you wish? Did the cat prove a good one? I sent

ease! What is it you need; what is it you would

business hours. Have you seen any shows? I sup

l estate became greatly excited. But it all simmered down again to the usual routine. So I've been going

ays

iley,

put on my hat and coat and go to see you. But I can't. There's a di

li

me by return

r Cl

r mother feels that way about me, what are w

nd. I know that I never had an unworthy thought concerning you. And I feel confident

t be sensitive and take offence, Clive, if I admit to you that I

your own sake-for the pleasure you

That was enough-more than enough

ever lived; I was self-reliant, self-supporting, and-forgive and

very little; but I am yo

ery ungenerous after all you have do

h to me, whether rightly or wrongly, I don't know. I am a novice at confession, but I feel that, if I am to make a clean brea

further doubts and misgivings. They are these: my sisters do not understand yo

y cannot see any reason for your generosity to me

y in matters regarding the common welfare and the common policy. But this is nearly gone. They point out with pe

ut they can't understand why you are any better, any finer, any more ad

to them what sort of man you are.

Reeve. But what I say only makes my sister sullen. She knows he is a friend of yours.... And, Clive, I am rather

ow who they are, for she won't tell me. But after the th

ore item in my confe

rces that my being seen with you so frequently is c

r. Besides I care enough about our companionship to continue it, whatever untruths are said or thought about me. But ho

old you all. Now, could you tell

osity-if it is indeed to be a case for self-sacrifice. Let me do that by giving you up. I

eing frank with me. Your

t go to you-as though when I mail it I am snapping

me-thrilling, delightful, exhilarating-as though inspiring me to some blind effort or other. Isn't it ridiculous?-as though I had it in me to do anything or be anybody! I'm merely telling you how all that exquis

nd another man. We went to see 'Once Upon a Time' at the Half-Moo

sked me to see 'Under the Sun' at the Zig-Zag Theatre. It was a tires

na with him and to other places where you and I have been so often together...Also I felt a little depressed. Everything always reminded me of you

ful to almost anybody who wil

ngrateful little beast, am I not, to lay the blame on you! But it is dull, Clive, after working all day to si

and his eyes are the bluest blue and his long, winter fur the snowiest white, and his ruff is wonderful and his

ugh this letter so far you won't mind readin

e Green

use he dared not break a dinner engagement or fail to appear with his mother at the opera. In fact he was already

though she had done him a personal injustice, yet he knew that it was absurd for him to resent anything of that sort. His monopoly of

long. Certainly Athalie was inevitably destined to meet other men, be admired, admire in her turn, accept invitations. She was unusually bea

ndships between men of his own caste, and

elf that what Athalie was doing was perfectly natural. But it didn't ma

own way out of it. She had heard that the Greensleeve girl was raising hob with Cecil Reeve and Francis Hargrave. They were other people's sons, however. And it migh

rable for Clive his mother thought-one Wini

nd, at dances, had even wandered about to look for her, and had

ty for little Miss Stuart and two dozen other y

. For as Clive in company with the others sauntered into the splendid reception ro

tual. Athalie's dark eyes widened and a little col

g to do, but as she advanced he st

lad to see you

live. Are

d y

s a moment's pause while the two

account for Captain Dane, who presently took her off somewhe

Winifred Stuart or to anybody else. Nor could he seem to see anybody very distinctly, for the mental phantoms of Athalie and Ca

n various automobiles, and Clive was finally

to her son, "was not exactly the thing

as her maid relieved her o

.. That girl you spoke to was t

alie Gree

as the

-a Captain Da

civil bo

m to know how much is due her from me. She's never

e a fool

such advice! I am a fool. And I don'

using in him any genuine emotion,

oy," she said. "There is noth

d his neck, his encircling a slender, pliant waist that a girl o

Clive," she smiled. "We can tal

ink I'll

o the dressing-room. Mrs. Bailey lingered, intuition and experie

fidgeting abo

ly what did you

ned unaltered: "Do you m

thalie Gr

y in a rather

mmo

think she

oyish astonishment. "What

it any woman of yo

a civil b

tic and poetic in the boy, and he spoke

er hands, her feet are delicate and very exquisitely formed; in her bearing there is an unconscious an

smayed, maintained, however, her plac

he difference is as subtle as intuition and as wide as the ocean. And, dear, no young

you to instruc

nce between the imitation and the real, com

from his mother and b

e dressing-room: "If you will find a chair and l

d to her: "I think I'll

night,

room adjoining came his father's h

rary where only a dim night-light was burning. He still wore his

dim library, head bent, st

of the butler's pantry. The service telephone was there. He unhook

he distant vo

you, At

.. Oh,

u recognis

mmedia

id you

. I still have on

e an agreeab

es

you t

N

nd and see you f

es

t," he sa