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sat in the royal box； with her mother and her ladies behind her； and
wondered and blushed to wonder if she had noticed him when be bowed； or
if his chivalric devotion in applauding her when the audience rose to
receive her had been more apparent than that of others； whether it had
seemed the heroic act of setting forth at the head of her armies； to beat
back a German invasion； which it had essentially been； with his
instantaneous return as victor； and the Queen's abdication and adoption
of republican principles under conviction of his reasoning； and her
idolized consecration as the first chief of the Dutch republic。 His
cheeks glowed； and he quaked at heart lest Lottie should surprise his
thoughts and expose them to that sarcastic acquaintance； who proved to be
a medical student resting at Scheveningen from the winter's courses and
clinics in； Vienna。 He had already got on to many of Boyne s curves； and
had sacrilegiously suggested the Queen of Holland when he found him
feeding his fancy on the modern heroical romances； he advised him as an
American adventurer to compete with the European princes paying court to
her。 So thin a barrier divided that malign intelligence from Boyne's
most secret dreams that he could never feel quite safe from him； and yet
he was always finding himself with him； now that he was separated from
Miss Rasmith； and Mr。 Breckon was taken up so much with Ellen。 On the
ship he could put many things before Mr。 Breckon which must here perish
in his breast； or suffer the blight of this Mr。 Trannel's raillery。 The
student sat near the Kentons at table； and he was no more reverent of the
judge's modest convictions than of Boyne's fantastic preoccupations。 The
worst of him was that you could not help liking him： he had a fascination
which the boy felt while he dreaded him； and now and then he did
something so pleasant that when he said something unpleasant you could
hardly believe it。
At the end of the concert； when he rose and stood with all the rest；
while the royal party left their box； and the orchestra played the Dutch
national hymn； he said； in a loud whisper； to Boyne： 〃Now's your time； my
boy！ Hurry out and hand her into her carriage！〃
Boyne fairly reeled at the words which translated a passage of the wild
drama playing itself in his brain； and found little support in bidding
his tormentor； 〃Shut up！〃 The retort； rude as it was； seemed
insufficient； but Boyne tried in vain to think of something else。 He
tried to punish him by separating Lottie from him； but failed as signally
in that。 She went off with him； and sat in a windstuhl facing his the
rest of the afternoon； with every effect of carrying on。
Boyne was helpless； with his mother against it； when he appealed to her
to let him go and tell Lottie that she wanted her。 Mrs。 Kenton said that
she saw no harm in it； that Ellen was sitting in like manner with Mr。
Breckon。
〃Mr。 Breckon is very different； and Ellen knows how to behave；〃 he urged；
but his mother remained unmoved； or was too absent about something to
take any interest in the matter。 In fact； she was again unhappy about
Ellen； though she put on such an air of being easy about her。 Clearly；
so far as her maternal surmise could fathom the case； Mr。 Breckon was
more and more interested in Ellen； and it was evident that the child was
interested in him。 The situation was everything that was acceptable to
Mrs。 Kenton； but she shuddered at the cloud which hung over it； and which
might any moment involve it。 Again and again she had made sure that
Lottie had given Ellen no hint of Richard's ill…advised vengeance upon
Bittridge； but it was not a thing that could be kept always； and the
question was whether it could be kept till Ellen had accepted Mr。 Breckon
and married him。 This was beyond the question of his asking her to do
so； but it was so much more important that Mrs。 Kenton was giving it her
attention first； quite out of the order of time。 Besides； she had every
reason； as she felt； to count upon the event。 Unless he was trifling
with Ellen； far more wickedly than Bittridge； he was in love with her；
and in Mrs。 Kenton's simple experience and philosophy of life； being in
love was briefly preliminary to marrying。 If she went with her anxieties
to her husband； she had first to reduce him from a buoyant optimism
concerning the affair before she could get him to listen seriously。
When this was accomplished he fell into such despair that she ended in
lifting him up and supporting him with hopes that she did not feel
herself。 What they were both united in was the conviction that nothing
so good could happen in the world； but they were equally united in the
old American tradition that they must not lift a finger to secure this
supreme good for their child。
It did not seem to them that leaving the young people constantly to
themselves was doing this。 They interfered with Ellen now neither more
nor less than they had interfered with her as to Bittridge； or than they
would have interfered with her in the case of any one else。 She was
still to be left entirely to herself in such matters； and Mrs。 Kenton
would have kept even her thoughts off her if she could。 She would have
been very glad to give her mind wholly to the study of the great events
which had long interested her here in their scene； but she felt that
until the conquest of Mr。 Breckon was secured beyond the hazard of
Ellen's morbid defection at the supreme moment； she could not give her
mind to the history of the Dutch republic。
〃Don't bother me about Lottie； Boyne；〃 she said。 I have enough to think
of without your nonsense。 If this Mr。 Trannel is an American； that is
all that is necessary。 We are all Americans together； and I don't
believe it will make remark； Lottie's sitting on the beach with him。〃
〃I don't see how he's different from that Bittridge；〃 said Boyne。 〃He
doesn't care for anything； and he plays the banjo just like him。〃
Mrs。 Kenton was too troubled to laugh。 She said； with finality； 〃Lottie
can take care of herself；〃 and then she asked； 〃Boyne； do you know whom
Ellen's letters were from？〃
〃One was from Bessie Pearl〃
〃Yes； she showed me that。 But you don't know who the other was from？〃
〃No； she didn't tell me。 You know how close Ellen is。〃
〃Yes；〃 the mother sighed； 〃she is very odd。〃
Then she added； 〃Don't you let her know that I asked you about her
letters。〃
〃No；〃 said Boyne。 His audience was apparently at an end； but he seemed
still to have something on his mind。 〃Momma；〃 he began afresh。
〃Well？〃 she answered； a little impatiently。
〃Nothing。 Only I got to thinking； Is a person able to control their
their fancies？〃
〃Fancies about what？〃
〃Oh； I don't know。 About falling in love。〃 Boyne blushed。
〃Why do you want to know？ You musn't think about such things； a boy like
you！ It's a great pity that you ever knew anything about that Bittridge
business。 It's made you too bold。 But it seems to have been meant to
drag us down and humiliate us in every way。〃
〃Well； I didn't try to know anything about it；〃 Boyne retorted。
〃No； that's true；〃 his mother did him the justice to recognize。 〃Well；
what is it you want to know？〃 Boyne was too hurt to answer at once； and
his mother had to coax him a little。 She did it sweetly； and apologized
to him for saying what she had said。 After all； he was the youngest； and
her baby still。 Her words and caresses took effect at last； and he
stammered out； 〃Is everybody so； or is it only the Kentons that seem to
be always puttingwell； their affectionswhere it's perfectly useless？〃
His mother pushed him from her。 〃Boyne； are you silly about that
ridiculous old Miss Rasmith？〃
〃No！〃 Boyne shouted； savagely； 〃I'm NOT！〃
〃Who is it； then？〃
〃I sha'n't tell you！〃 Boyne said； and tears of rage and shame came into
his eyes。
XXI。
In his exile from his kindred； for it came practically to that； Boyne was
able to add a fine gloom to the state which he commonly observed with
himself when he was not giving way to his morbid fancies or his morbid
fears； and breaking down in helpless subjection to the nearest memb