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dear！ oh； dear！〃 She threw herself down in her berth and covered her
face with the sheet； sobbing； while her mother stood by in an anguish of
pity and anger。 She wanted to beat the girl； she wanted to throw herself
upon her； and weep with her in the misery which she shared with her。
Lottie came to the door of the state…room with an arm…load of long…
stemmed roses； the gift of the young Mr。 Plumpton； who had not had so
much to be entreated to come down to the steamer and see her off as Boyne
had pretended。 〃Momma；〃 she said； 〃I have got to leave these roses in
here； whether Ellen likes it or not。 Boyne won't have them in his room；
because he says the man that's with him would have a right to object； and
this is half my room； anyway。〃
Mrs。 Kenton frowned and shook her head； but Ellen answered from under the
sheet； 〃I don't mind the roses； Lottie。 I wish you'd stay with me a
little while。〃
Lottie hesitated； having in mind the breakfast for which the horn had
just sounded。 But apparently she felt that one good turn deserved
another； and she answered： 〃All right； I will； Nell。 Momma； you tell
Boyne to hurry； and come to Ellen as soon as he's done； and then I will
go。 Don't let anybody take my place。〃
〃I wish；〃 said Ellen； still from under the sheet； 〃that momma would have
your breakfast sent here。 I don't want Boyne。〃
Women apparently do not require any explanation of these swift
vicissitudes in one another； each knowing probably in herself the nerves
from which they proceed。 Mrs。 Kenton promptly assented； in spite of the
sulky reluctance which Lottie's blue eyes looked at her； she motioned her
violently to silence； and said： 〃Yes； I will； Ellen。 I will send
breakfast for both of you。〃
When she was gone； Ellen uncovered her face and asked Lottie to dip a
towel in water and give it to her。 As she bathed her eyes she said；
〃You don't care； do you； Lottie？〃
〃Not very much；〃 said Lottie； unsparingly。 I can go to lunch； I
suppose。〃
〃Maybe I'll go to lunch with you；〃 Ellen suggested； as if she were
speaking of some one else。
Lottie wasted neither sympathy nor surprise on the question。 〃Well；
maybe that would be the best thing。 Why don't you come to breakfast？〃
〃No； I won't go to breakfast。 But you go。〃
When Lottie joined her family in the dining…saloon she carelessly
explained that Ellen had said she wanted to be alone。 Before the young
man； who was the only other person besides the Kentons at their table；
her mother could not question her with any hope that the bad would not be
made worse； and so she remained silent。 Judge Kenton sat with his eyes
fixed on his plate； where as yet the steward had put no breakfast for
him； Boyne was supporting the dignity of the family in one of those
moments of majesty from which he was so apt to lapse into childish
dependence。 Lottie offered him another alternative by absently laying
hold of his napkin on the table。
〃That's mine；〃 he said； with husky gloom。
She tossed it back to him with prompt disdain and a deeply eye…lashed
glance at a napkin on her right。 The young man who sat next it said；
with a smile； 〃Perhaps that's yours…unless I've taken my neighbor's。〃
Lottie gave him a stare； and when she had sufficiently punished him for
his temerity said； rather sweetly； 〃Oh； thank you；〃 and took the napkin。
〃I hope we shall all have use for them before long；〃 the young man
ventured again。
〃Well； I should think as much；〃 returned the girl； and this was the
beginning of a conversation which the young man shared successively with
the judge and Mrs。 Kenton as opportunity offered。 He gave the judge his
card across the table； and when the judge had read on it； 〃Rev。 Hugh
Breckon；〃 he said that his name was Kenton； and he introduced the young
man formally to his family。 Mr。 Breckon had a clean…shaven face； with an
habitual smile curving into the cheeks from under a long； straight nose；
his chin had a slight whopper…jaw twist that was charming； his gay eyes
were blue； and a full vein came down his forehead between them from his
smooth hair。 When he laughed； which was often； his color brightened。
Boyne was named last； and then Mr。 Breckon said； with a smile that showed
all his white teeth； 〃Oh yes； Mr。 Boyne and I are friends alreadyever
since we found ourselves room…mates；〃 and but for us； as Lottie
afterwards noted； they might never have known Boyne was rooming with him；
and could easily have made all sorts of insulting remarks about Mr。
Breckon in their ignorance。
The possibility seemed to delight Mr。 Breckon； he invited her to make all
the insulting remarks she could think of； any way； and professed himself
a loser； so far as her real opinion was withheld from him by reason of
his rashness in giving the facts away。 In the electrical progress of
their acquaintance she had begun walking up and down the promenade with
him after they came up from breakfast； her mother had gone to Ellen； the
judge had been made comfortable in his steamer…chair； and Boyne had been
sent about his business。
〃I will try to think some up；〃 she promised him； 〃as soon as I HAVE any
real opinion of you；〃 and he asked her if he might consider that a
beginning。
She looked at him out of her indomitable blue eyes； and said； 〃If it
hadn't been for your card； and the Reverend on it； I should have said you
were an actor。〃
〃Well； well；〃 said Mr。 Breckon； with a laugh； perhaps I am； in a way。
I oughtn't to be； of course； but if a minister ever forces himself； I
suppose he's acting。〃
〃I don't see；〃 said Lottie； instantly availing herself of the opening；
〃how you can get up and pray； Sunday after Sunday； whether you feel like
it or not。〃
The young man said； with another laugh； but not so gay； 〃 Well； the case
has its difficulties。〃
〃Or perhaps you just read prayers；〃 Lottie sharply conjectured。
〃No；〃 he returned； 〃I haven't that advantageif you think it one。
I'm a sort of a Unitarian。 Very advanced； too； I'm afraid。〃
〃Is that a kind of Universalist？〃
〃Notnot exactly。 There's an old jokeI'm not sure it's very good
which distinguishes between the sects。 It's said that the Universalists
think God is too good to damn them； and the Unitarians think they are too
good to be damned。〃 Lottie shrank a little from him。 〃Ah！〃 he cried；
〃you think it sounds wicked。 Well； I'm sorry。 I'm not clerical enough
to joke about serious things。〃
He looked into her face with a pretended anxiety。 〃Oh； I don't know；〃
she said； with a little scorn。 〃I guess if you can stand it； I can。〃
〃I'm not sure that I can。 I'm afraid it's more in keeping with an
actor's profession than my own。 Why；〃 he added； as if to make a
diversion； 〃should you have thought I was an actor？〃
〃I suppose because you were clean…shaved； and your pronunciation。 So
Englishy。〃
〃Is it？ Perhaps I ought to be proud。 But I'm not an Englishman。 I am a
plain republican American。 May I ask if you are English？〃
〃Oh！〃 said Lottie。 〃As if you thought such a thing。 We're from Ohio。〃
Mr。 Breckon said； 〃Ah！〃 Lottie could not make out in just what sense。
By this time they were leaning on the rail of the promenade； looking over
at what little was left of Long Island； and she said； abruptly： 〃I think
I will go and see how my father is getting along。〃
〃Oh； do take me with you； Miss Kenton！〃 Mr： Breckon entreated。 〃I am
feeling very badly about that poor old joke。 I know you don't think well
of me for it； and I wish to report what I've been saying to your father；
and let him judge me。 I've heard that it's hard to live up to Ohio
people when you're at your best； and I do hope you'll believe I have not
been quite at my best。 Will you let me come with you？〃
Lottie did not know whether he was making fun of her or not； but she
said； 〃Oh； it's a free country；〃 and allowed him to go with her。
His preface made the judge look rather grave； but when he came to the
joke； Kenton laughed and said it was not bad。
〃Oh； but that isn't quite the point；〃 said Mr。 Breckon。 〃The question is
whether I am good in repeating it to a young lady who was seeking serious
instruction on a point of theology。〃
〃I