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of moving at the rate of twenty…two knots an hour； she should be at that
moment。 Having determined that fact to his own satisfaction； he sent a
wireless after the ship。 It read： 〃It is now midnight and you are in
latitude 40 degrees north； longitude 68 degrees west； and I have grown old
and gray waiting for the sign。〃
The next morning； and for many days after； he was surprised to find
that the city went on as though she still were in it。 With unfeeling
regularity the sun rose out of the East River。 On Broadway electric…light
signs flashed； street…cars pursued each other； taxicabs bumped and skidded；
women； and even men； dared to look happy； and had apparently taken
some thought to their attire。 They did not respect even his widowerhood。
They smiled upon him； and asked him jocularly about the farm and his
〃crops；〃 and what he was doing in New York。 He pitied them； for
obviously they were ignorant of the fact that in New York there were art
galleries； shops； restaurants of great interest； owing to the fact that Polly
Kirkland had visited them。 They did not know that on upper Fifth
Avenue were houses of which she had deigned to approve； or which she
had destroyed with ridicule； and that to walk that avenue and halt before
each of these houses was an inestimable privilege。
Each day； with pathetic vigilance； Ainsley examined his heart for the
promised sign。 But so far from telling him that the change he longed for
had taken place； his heart grew heavier； and as weeks went by and no sign
appeared； what little confidence he had once enjoyed passed with them。
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THE MESSENGERS
But before hope entirely died； several false alarms had thrilled him
with happiness。 One was a cablegram from Gibraltar in which the only
words that were intelligible were 〃congratulate〃 and 〃engagement。〃 This
lifted him into an ecstasy of joy and excitement； until； on having the cable
company repeat the message； he learned it was a request from Miss
Kirkland to congratulate two mutual friends who had just announced their
engagement； and of whose address she was uncertain。 He had hardly
recovered from this disappointment than he was again thrown into a
tumult by the receipt of a mysterious package from the custom…house
containing an intaglio ring。 The ring came from Italy； and her ship had
touched at Genoa。 The fact that it was addressed in an unknown
handwriting did not disconcert him； for he argued that to make the test
more difficult she might disguise the handwriting。 He at once carried the
intaglio to an expert at the Metropolitan Museum； and when he was told
that it represented Cupid feeding a fire upon an altar； he reserved a
stateroom on the first steamer bound for the Mediterranean。 But before
his ship sailed； a letter； also from Italy； from his aunt Maria； who was
spending the winter in Rome； informed him that the ring was a Christmas
gift from her。 In his rage he unjustly condemned Aunt Maria as a
meddling old busybody； and gave her ring to the cook。
After two months of pilgrimages to places sacred to the memory of
Polly Kirkland； Ainsley found that feeding his love on post…mortems was
poor fare； and； in surrender； determined to evacuate New York。 Since her
departure he had received from Miss Kirkland several letters； but they
contained no hint of a change in her affections； and search them as he
might； he could find no cipher or hidden message。 They were merely
frank； friendly notes of travel； at first filled with gossip of the steamer； and
later telling of excursions around Cairo。 If they held any touch of feeling
they seemed to show that she was sorry for him； and as she could not
regard him in any way more calculated to increase his discouragement； he；
in utter hopelessness； retreated to the solitude of the farm。 In New York
he left behind him two trunks filled with such garments as a man would
need on board a steamer and in the early spring in Egypt。 They had been
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THE MESSENGERS
packed and in readiness since the day she sailed away； when she had told
him of the possible sign。 But there had been no sign。 Nor did he longer
believe in one。 So in the baggage…room of an hotel the trunks were
abandoned； accumulating layers of dust and charges for storage。
At the farm the snow still lay in the crevices of the rocks and beneath
the branches of the evergreens； but under the wet； dead leaves little
flowers had begun to show their faces。 The 〃backbone of the winter was
broken〃 and spring was in the air。 But as Ainsley was certain that his
heart also was broken； the signs of spring did not console him。 At each
week…end he filled the house with people； but they found him gloomy and
he found them dull。 He liked better the solitude of the midweek days。
Then for hours he would tramp through the woods； pretending she was at
his side； pretending he was helping her across the streams swollen with
winter rains and melted snow。 On these excursions he cut down trees
that hid a view he thought she would have liked； he cut paths over which
she might have walked。 Or he sat idly in a flat… bottomed scow in the
lake and made a pretence of fishing。 The loneliness of the lake and the
isolation of the boat suited his humor。 He did not find it true that misery
loves company。 At least to human beings he preferred his companions of
Lone Lakethe beaver building his home among the reeds； the kingfisher；
the blue heron； the wild fowl that in their flight north rested for an hour or
a day upon the peaceful waters。 He looked upon them as his guests； and
when they spread their wings and left him again alone he felt he had been
hardly used。
It was while he was sunk in this state of melancholy； and some months
after Miss Kirkland had sailed to Egypt； that hope returned。
For a we