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〃Indeed you're not！〃 cried Eunice； with elder sisterly authority。 〃You
shall tell us about it first。〃
〃Oh no！ Let him go； Eunice！〃 pleaded Minnie； 〃Poor Dan！ And I don't
think we ought to go to walk when〃
Dan's eyes dimmed； and his voice weakened a little at her sympathy。 〃Yes；
go。 I'm tiredthat's all。 There isn't anything to tell you； hardly。
Miss Pasmer〃
〃Why； he's pale！〃 cried Minnie。 〃Eunice！〃
〃Oh； it's just the heat in here。〃 Dan really felt a little sick and faint
with it； but he was not sorry to seem affected by the day's strain upon
his nerves。
The girls began to take off their wraps。 〃Don't。 I'll go with you。
Boardman's out there。〃
〃Boardman！ What nonsense！〃 exclaimed Eunice。
〃He'll like to hear your opinion of it；〃 Dan began； but his sister pulled
the doors open； and ran out to see if he really meant that too。
Whether Boardman had heard her； or had discreetly withdrawn out of earshot
at the first sound of voices； she could not tell； but she found him some
distance away from the snow…box on the piazza。 〃Dan's just managed to
tell us you were here；〃 she said； giving him her hand。 〃I'm glad to see
you。 Do come in。〃
〃Come along as a sort of Job's comforter；〃 Boardman explained； as he
followed her in； and he had the silly look that the man who feels himself
superfluous must wear。
〃Then you know about it？〃 said Eunice； while Minnie Mavering and he were
shaking hands。
〃Yes； Boardman knows； he can tell you about it；〃 said Dan； from the hall
chair he had dropped into。 He rose and made his way to the stairs； with
the effect of leaving the whole thing to them。
His sisters ran after him； and got him upstairs and into his room； with
Boardman's semi…satirical connivance； and Eunice put up the window； while
Minnie went to get some cologne to wet his forehead。 Their efforts were
so successful that he revived sufficiently to drive them out of his room；
and make them go and show Boardman to his。
〃You know the way； Mr。 Boardman；〃 said Eunice； going before him； while
Minnie followed timorously； but curious for what he should say。 She
lingered on the threshold； while her sister went in and pulled the
electric apparatus which lighted the gas…burners。 〃I suppose Dan didn't
break it？〃 she said； turning sharply upon him。
〃No； and I don't think he was to blame；〃 said Boardman； inferring her
reserved anxiety。
〃Oh； I'm quite sure of that；〃 said Eunice； rejecting what she had asked
for。 〃You'll find everything； Mr。 Boardman。 It was kind of you to come
with Dan。 Supper's at seven。〃
〃How severe you were with him！〃 murmured Minnie； following her away。
〃Severe with Dan？〃
〃Nowith Mr。 Boardman。〃
〃What nonsense！ I had to be。 I couldn't let him defend Dan to me。
Couple of silly boys！〃
After a moment Minnie said； 〃I don't think he's silly。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Mr。 Boardman。〃
〃Well； Dan is； then； to bring him at such a time。 But I suppose he felt
that he couldn't get here without him。 What a boy！ Think of such a child
being engaged！ I hope we shan't hear any more of such nonsense for one
while againat least till Dan's got his growth。〃
They went down into the library； where； in their excitement； they sat down
with most of their outdoor things on。
Minnie had the soft contrary…mindedness of gentle natures。 〃I should like
to know how you would have had Dan bear it；〃 she said rebelliously。
〃How？ Like a man。 Or like a woman。 How do you suppose Miss Pasmer's
bearing it？ Do you suppose she's got some friend to help her？〃
〃If she's broken it； she doesn't need any one；〃 urged Minnie。
〃Well；〃 said Eunice； with her high scorn of Dan unabated； 〃I never could
have liked that girl； but I certainly begin to respect her。 I think I
could have got on with hernow that it's no use。 I declare；〃 she broke
off； 〃we're sitting here sweltering to death！ What are we keeping our
things on for？〃 She began to tear hers violently off and to fling them on
chairs； scolding； and laughing at the same time with Minnie； at their
absent…mindedness。
A heavy step sounded on the verandah without。
〃There's father！〃 she cried vividly； jumping to her feet and running to
the door； while Minnie； in a nervous bewilderment； ran off upstairs to her
room。 Eunice flung the door open。 〃Well； father； we've got Dan back
again。〃 And at a look of quiet question in his eye she hurried on： 〃His
engagement's broken； and he's come up here to tell us； and brought Mr。
Boardman along to help。〃
〃Where is he？〃 asked the father； with his ruminant quiet； pulling off
first one sleeve of his overcoat； and pausing for Eunice's answer before
he pulled off the other。
XLVI。
〃He's up in his room； resting from the effort。〃 She laughed nervously；
and her father made no comment。 He took off his articles； and then went
creaking upstairs to Dan's room。 But at the door he paused； with his hand
on the knob； and turned away to his own room without entering。
Dan must have heard him； in a few minutes he came to him。
〃Well； Dan；〃 said his father； shaking hands。
〃I suppose Eunice has told you？〃 Well； I want to tell you why it
happened。〃
There was something in his father that always steadied Dan and kept him to
the point。 He now put the whole case fairly and squarely； and his candour
and openness seemed to him to react and characterise his conduct
throughout。 He did not realise that this was not so till his father said
at the close； with mild justice； 〃You were to blame for letting the thing
run on so at loose ends。〃
〃Yes； of course；〃 said Dan； seeing that he was。 〃But there was no
intention of deceiving any one of bad faith〃
〃Of course not。〃
〃I thought it could be easily arranged whenever it came to the point。〃
〃If you'd been older； you wouldn't have thought that。 You had women to
deal with on both sides。 But if it's all over； I'm not sorry。 I always
admired Miss Pasmer； but I've been more and more afraid you were not
suited to each other。 Your mother doesn't know you're here？〃
〃No； sir； I suppose not。 Do you think it will distress her？〃
〃How did your sisters take it？〃
Dan gave a rueful laugh。 〃It seemed to be rather a popular move with
them。〃
〃I will see your mother first；〃 said the father。
He left them when they went into the library after supper； and a little
later Dan and Eunice left Boardman in charge of Minnie there。
He looked after their unannounced withdrawal in comic consciousness。
〃It's no use pretending that I'm not a pretty large plurality here；〃 he
said to Minnie。
〃Oh； I'm so glad you came！〃 she cried； with a kindness which was as real
as if it had been more sincere。
〃Do you think mother will feel it much？〃 asked Dan anxiously； as he went
upstairs with Eunice。
〃Well； she'll hate to lose a correspondentsuch a regular one；〃 said
Eunice； and the affair being so far beyond any other comment； she laughed
the rest of the way to their mother's room。
The whole family had in some degree that foible which affects people who
lead isolated lives； they come to think that they are the only people who
have their virtues； they exaggerate these； and they conceive a kindness
even fo