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really to care。 She submitted the matter to Breckon； who said； 〃Oh yes；
if Lottie wishes；〃 and he laughed when Ellen confessed； 〃Well； I said
we would。〃
With the lifting of his great anxiety； he had got back to that lightness
which was most like him； and he could not always conceal from Lottie
herself that he regarded her as a joke。 She did not mind it； she said；
from such a mere sop as； in the vast content of his love； he was。
This was some months after Lottie had got at Scheveningen from Mr。
Plumpton that letter which decided her that she had no use for him。
There came the same day； and by the same post with it； a letter from one
of her young men in Tuskingum； who had faithfully written to her all the
winter before； and had not intermitted his letters after she went abroad。
To Kenton he had always seemed too wise if not too good for Lottie； but
Mrs。 Kenton； who had her own doubts of Lottie； would not allow this when
it came to the question； and said； woundedly； that she did not see why
Lottie was not fully his equal in every way。
〃Well；〃 the judge suggested； 〃she isn't the first young lawyer at the
Tuskingum bar。〃
〃Well； I wouldn't wish her to be；〃 said Mrs。 Kenton； who did not often
make jokes。
〃Well； I don't know that I would；〃 her husband assented； and he added；
〃Pretty good； Sarah。〃
〃Lottie；〃 her mother summed up； 〃is practical； and she is very neat。 She
won't let Mr。 Elroy go around looking so slovenly。 I hope she will make
him have his hair cut； and not look as if it were bitten off。 And I
don't believe he's had his boots blacked since〃
〃He was born；〃 the judge proposed； and she assented。
〃Yes。 She is very saving； and he is wasteful。 It will be a very good
match。 You can let them build on the other corner of the lot； if Ellen
is going to be in New York。 I would miss Lottie more than Ellen about
the housekeeping； though the dear knows I will miss them both badly
enough。〃
〃Well； you can break off their engagements；〃 said the judge。
As yet； and until Ellen was off her hands； Lottie would not allow Mr。
Elroy to consider himself engaged to her。 His conditional devotion did
not debar him from a lover's rights； and； until Breckon came on from New
York to be married； there was much more courtship of Lottie than of Ellen
in the house。 But Lottie saved herself in the form if not the fact； and
as far as verbal terms were concerned； she was justified by them in
declaring that she would not have another sop hanging round。
It was Boyne； and Boyne alone； who had any misgivings in regard to
Ellen's engagement； and these were of a nature so recondite that when he
came to impart them to his mother； before they left Scheveningen； and
while there was yet time for that conclusion which his father suggested
to Mrs。 Kenton too late； Boyne had an almost hopeless difficulty in
stating them。 His approaches； even； were so mystical that his mother was
forced to bring him to book sharply。
〃Boyne； if you don't tell me right off just what you mean； I don't know
what I will do to you！ What are you driving at； for pity's sake？ Are
you saying that she oughtn't to be engaged to Mr。 Breckon？〃
〃No； I'm not saying that； momma；〃 said Boyne； in a distress that caused
his mother to take a reef in her impatience。
〃Well； what are you saying； then？〃
〃Why； you know how Ellen is； momma。 You know how conscientious andand
sensitive。 Or； I don't mean sensitive； exactly。〃
〃Well？〃
〃Well； I don't think she ought to be engaged to Mr。 Breckon out of
gratitude。〃
〃Gratitude？〃
〃Yes。 I just know that she thinksor it would be just like herthat he
saved me that day。 But he only met me about a second before we came to
her and poppa； and the officers were taking me right along towards them。〃
Mrs。 Kenton held herself stormily in； and he continued： 〃I know that he
translated for us before the magistrate； but the magistrate could speak a
little English； and when he saw poppa he saw that it was all right；
anyway。 I don't want to say anything against Mr。 Breckon； and I think he
behaved as well any one could； but if Ellen is going to marry him out of
gratitude for saving me〃
Mrs。 Kenton could hold in no longer。 〃And is this what you've been
bothering the life half out of me for； for the last hour？〃
〃Well； I thought you ought to look at it in that light； momma。〃
〃Well； Boyne；〃 said his mother； 〃sometimes I think you're almost a fool！〃
and she turned her back upon her son and left him。
Boyne's place in the Kenton family； for which he continued to have the
highest regard； became a little less difficult； a little less
incompatible with his self…respect as time went on。 His spirit； which
had lagged a little after his body in stature； began； as his father said；
to catch up。 He no longer nourished it so exclusively upon heroical
romance as he had during the past year； and after his return to Tuskingum
he went into his brother Richard's once； and manifested a certain
curiosity in the study of the law。 He read Blackstone； and could give a
fair account of his impressions of English law to his father。 He had
quite outlived the period of entomological research； and he presented his
collections of insects （somewhat moth…eaten） to his nephew； on whom he
also bestowed his postage…stamp album； Mary Kenton accepted them in
trust； the nephew being of yet too tender years for their care。 In the
preoccupations of his immediate family with Ellen's engagement； Boyne
became rather close friends with his sister…in…law； and there were times
when he was tempted to submit to her judgment the question whether the
young Queen of Holland did not really beckon to him that day。 But
pending the hour when he foresaw that Lottie should come out with the
whole story； in some instant of excitement； Boyne had not quite the heart
to speak of his experience。 It assumed more and more respectability with
him； and lost that squalor which had once put him to shame while it was
yet new。 He thought that Mary might be reasoned into regarding him as
the hero of an adventure； but he is still hesitating whether to confide
in her。 In the meantime she knows all about it。 Mary and Richard both
approved of Ellen's choice； though they are somewhat puzzled to make out
just what Mr。 Breckon's religion is； and what his relations to his charge
in New York may be。 These do not seem to them quite pastoral； and he
himself shares their uncertainty。 But since his flock does not include
Mrs。 Rasmith and her daughter； he is content to let the question remain
in abeyance。 The Rasmiths are settled in Rome with an apparent
permanency which they have not known elsewhere for a long time； and they
have both joined in the friendliest kind of letter on his marriage to
their former pastor； if that was what Breckon was。 They have professed
to know from the first that he was in love with Ellen； and that he is in
love with her now is the strong present belief of his flock； if they are
a flock； and if they may be said to have anything so positive as a belief
in regard to anything。
Judge Kenton has given the Elroys the other corner of the lot； and has
supplied them the means of building on it。 Mary and Lottie run
diagonally into the home…house every day； and nothing keeps either from
coming into authority over the old people except the fear of each other
in which they stand。 The Kentons no longer make any summer journeys；
but in the winter they take Boyne and go to see Ellen in New York。 They
do not stay so long as Mrs。 Kenton would like。 As soon as they have
fairly seen the Breckons； and have settled comfortably down in their
pleasant house on West Seventy…fourth Street； she detects him in a secret
habit of sighing； which she recognizes as the worst symptom of
homesickness； and then she confides to Ellen that she supposes Mr。 Kenton
will make her go home with him before long。 Ellen knows it is useless to
interfere。 She even encourages her father's longings； so far as
indulging his clandestine visits to the seedsman's； and she goes with him
to pick up second…hand books about Ohio in the War at the dealers'； who
remember the judge very flatteringly。
As Fe