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She thought so； oh； yes； she never could have the home…feeling at Venice
that she had at Florence。
〃Exactly； that's what I meanta home…feeling； I'm glad you had it。〃 He
let the gondola dip and slide forward almost a minute before he added；
with an effect of pulling a voice up out of his throat somewhere； 〃How
would you like to live therewith meas my wife？〃
〃Why； what do you mean； Dr。 Welwright？〃 asked Clementina； with a vague
laugh。
Dr。 Welwright laughed； too； but not vaguely； there was a mounting
cheerfulness in his laugh。 〃What I say。 I hope it isn't very
surprising。〃
〃No； but I never thought of such a thing。〃
〃Perhaps you will think of it now。〃
〃But you're not in ea'nest！〃
〃I'm thoroughly in earnest；〃 said the doctor； and he seemed very much
amused at her incredulity。
〃Then； I'm sorry；〃 she answered。 〃I couldn't。〃
〃No？〃 he said； still with amusement； or with a courage that took that
form。 〃Why not？〃
〃Because I amnot free。〃
For an interval they were so silent that they could hear each other
breathe： Then； after be had quietly bidden the gondolier go back to their
hotel； he asked； 〃If you had been free you might have answered me
differently？〃
〃I don't know；〃 said Clementina； candidly。 〃I never thought of it。〃
〃It isn't because you disliked me？〃
〃Oh； no！〃
〃Then I must get what comfort I can out of that。 I hope； with all my
heart； that you may be happy。〃
〃Why； Dr。 Welwright！〃 said Clementina。 〃Don't you suppose that I should
be glad to do it； if I could？ Any one would！〃
〃It doesn't seem very probable； just now；〃 he answered； humbly。
〃But I'll believe it if you say so。〃
〃I do say so； and I always shall。〃
〃Thank you。〃
Dr。 Welwright professed himself ready for his departure； at breakfast
next morning and he must have made his preparations very late or very
early。 He was explicit in his charges to Clementina concerning Mrs。
Lander； and at the end of them； he said； 〃She will not know when she is
asking too much of you； but you will； and you must act upon your
knowledge。 And remember； if you are in need of help； of any kind； you're
to let me know。 Will you？〃
〃Yes； I will； Dr。 Welwright。〃
〃People will be going away soon； and I shall not be so busy。 I can come
back if Dr。 Tradonico thinks it necessary。〃
He left Mrs。 Lander full of resolutions to look after her own welfare in
every way； and she went out in her gondola the same morning。 She was not
only to take the air as much as possible； but she was to amuse herself；
and she decided that she would have her second breakfast at the Caffe
Florian。 Venice was beginning to fill up with arrivals from the south；
and it need not have been so surprising to find Mr。 Hinkle there over a
cup of coffee。 He said he had just that moment been thinking of her； and
meaning to look her up at the hotel。 He said that he had stopped at
Venice because it was such a splendid place to introduce his gleaner； he
invited Mrs。 Lander to become a partner in the enterprise； he promised
her a return of fifty per cent。 on her investment。 If he could once
introduce his gleaner in Venice； he should be a made man。 He asked Mrs。
Lander； with real feeling； how she was； as for Miss Clementina； he need
not ask。
〃Oh； indeed； the docta thinks she wants a little lookin' after； too；〃
said Mrs。 Lander。
〃Well； about as much as you do； Mrs。 Lander；〃 Hinkle allowed； tolerantly。
〃I don't know how it affects you； ma'am； such a meeting of friends in
these strange waters； but it's building me right up。 It's made another
man of me； already； and I've got the other man's appetite； too。 Mind my
letting him have his breakfast here with me at your table？〃 He bade the
waiter just fetch his plate。 He attached himself to them； he spent the
day with them。 Mrs。 Lander asked him to dinner at her lodgings； and left
him to Clementina over the coffee。
〃She's looking fine； doesn't the doctor think？ This air will do
everything for her。〃
〃Oh； yes； she's a great deal betta than she was befo'e we came。〃
〃That's right。 Well； now； you've got me here； you must let me make
myself useful any way I can。 I've got a spare month that I can put in
here in Venice； just as well as not； I sha'n't want to push north till
the frost's out of the ground。 They wouldn't have a chance to try my
gleaner； on the other side of the Alps much before September； anyway。
Now； in Ohio； the part I come from； we cut our wheat in June。 When is
your wheat harvest at Middlemount？〃
Clementina laughed。 〃I don't believe we've got any。 I guess it's all
grass。〃
〃I wish you could see our country out there； once。〃
〃Is it nice？〃
〃Nice？ We're right in the centre of the state； measuring from north to
south； on the old National Road。〃 Clementina had never heard of this
road； but she did not say so。 〃About five miles back from the Ohio
River； where the coal comes up out of the ground； because there's so much
of it there's no room for it below。 Our farm's in a valley； along a
creek bottom； what you Yankees call an intervals； we've got three hundred
acres。 My grandfather took up the land； and then he went back to
Pennsylvania to get the girl he'd left therewe were Pennsylvania Dutch；
that's where I got my romantic namethey drove all the way out to Ohio
again in his buggy； and when he came in sight of our valley with his
bride； he stood up in his buggy and pointed with his whip。 〃There！ As
far as the sky is blue； it's all ours！〃
Clementina owned the charm of his story as he seemed to expect； but when
he said； 〃Yes； I want you to see that country； some day；〃 she answered
cautiously。
〃It must be lovely。 But I don't expect to go West； eva。〃
〃I like your Eastern way of saying everr；〃 said Hinkle； and he said it in
his Western way。 〃I like New England folks。〃
Clementina smiled discreetly。 〃They have their faults like everybody
else； I presume。〃
〃Ah； that's a regular Yankee word： presume；〃 said Hinkle。 〃Our teacher；
my first one； always said presume。 She was from your State； too。〃
XXIX。
In the time of provisional quiet that followed for Clementina； she was
held from the remorses and misgivings that had troubled her before Hinkle
came。 She still thought that she had let Dr。 Welwright go away believing
that she had not cared enough for the offer which had surprised her so
much； and she blamed herself for not telling him how doubly bound she was
to Gregory； though when she tried to put her sense of this in words to
herself she could not make out that she was any more bound to him than
she had been before they met in Florence； unless she wished to be so。
Yet somehow in this time of respite； neither the regret for Dr。 Welwright
nor the question of Gregory persisted very strongly； and there were whole
days when she realized before she slept that she had not thought of
either。
She was in full favor again with Mrs。 Lander； whom there was no one to
embitter in her jealous affection。 Hinkle formed their whole social
world； and Mrs。 Lander made the most of him。 She was always having him
to the dinners which her landlord served her from a restaurant in her
apartment； and ta