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of his life's passion； at the same time maintaining a deceptive attitude of
detachment； half deceiving herself that it was zeal for the work by which she
was actuated。 In her soul she knew better。 She was really pouring fuel on the
flames。 She read him； up to a certain pointas far as was necessary； and
beneath his attempts at self…control she was conscious of a dynamic desire that
betrayed itself in many acts and signs；as when he brushed against her； and
occasionally when he gave evidence with his subordinates of a certain shortness
of temper unusual with him she experienced a vaguely alarming but delicious
thrill of power。 And this； of all men； was the great Mr。 Ditmar！ Was she in
love with him？ That question did not trouble her either。 She continued to
experience in his presence waves of antagonism and attraction； revealing to her
depths and possibilities of her nature that frightened while they fascinated。
It never occurred to her to desist。 That craving in her for high adventure was
not to be denied。
On summer evenings it had been Ditmar's habit when in Hampton to stroll about
his lawn； from time to time changing the position of the sprinkler； smoking a
cigar； and reflecting pleasantly upon his existence。 His house； as he gazed at
it against the whitening sky； was an eminently satisfactory abode； his wife was
dead； his children gave him no trouble； he felt a glow of paternal pride in his
son as the boy raced up and down the sidewalk on a bicycle； George was manly；
large and strong for his age； and had a domineering way with other boys that
gave Ditmar secret pleasure。 Of Amy； who was showing a tendency to stoutness；
and who had inherited her mother's liking for candy and romances； Ditmar
thought scarcely at all： he would glance at her as she lounged； reading； in a
chair on the porch； but she did not come within his range of problems。 He had；
in short； everything to make a reasonable man content； a life nicely compounded
of sustenance； pleasure； and business；business naturally being the greatest
of these。 He wasthough he did not know itethically and philosophically
right in squaring his morals with his occupation； and his had been the good
fortune to live in a world whose codes and conventions had been carefully
adjusted to the pursuit of that particular brand of happiness he had made his
own。 Why； then； in the name of that happiness； of the peace and sanity and
pleasurable effort it had brought him； had he allowed and even encouraged the
advent of a new element that threatened to destroy the equilibrium achieved？ an
element refusing to be classified under the head of property； since it involved
something he desired and could not buy？ A woman who was not property； who
resisted the attempt to be turned into property； was an anomaly in Ditmar's
universe。 He had not； of course； existed for more than forty years without
having heard and read of and even encountered in an acquaintance or two the
species of sex attraction sentimentally called love that sometimes made fools
of men and played havoc with more important affairs； but in his experience it
had never interfered with his sanity or his appetite or the Chippering Mill： it
had never made his cigars taste bitter； it had never caused a deterioration in
the appreciation of what he had achieved and held。 But now he was experiencing
strange symptoms of an intensity out of all proportion to that of former
relations with the other sex。 What was most unusual for him； he was alarmed
and depressed； at moments irritable。 He regretted the capricious and
apparently accidental impulse that had made him pretend to tinker with his
automobile that day by the canal； that had led him to the incomparable idiocy
of getting rid of Miss Ottway and installing the disturber of his peace as his
private stenographer。
What the devil was it in her that made him so uncomfortable？ When in his
office he had difficulty in keeping his mind on matters of import； he would
watch her furtively as she went about the room with the lithe and noiseless
movements that excited him the more because he suspected beneath her outward
and restrained demeanour a fierceness he craved yet feared。 He thought of her
continually as a panther； a panther he had caught and could not tame； he hadn't
even caught her； since she might escape at any time。 He took precautions not
to alarm her。 When she brushed against him he trembled。 Continually she
baffled and puzzled him； and he never could tell of what she was thinking。 She
represented a whole set of new and undetermined values for which he had no
precedents； and unlike every woman he had knownincluding his wifeshe had an
integrity of her own； seemingly beyond the reach of all influences economic and
social。 All the more exasperating； therefore； was a propinquity creating an
intimacy without substance； or without the substance he craved for she had
magically become for him a sort of enveloping； protecting atmosphere。 In an
astonishingly brief time he had fallen into the habit of talking things over
with her； naturally not affairs of the first importance； but matters such as
the economy of his time： when； for instance； it was most convenient for him to
go to Boston； and he would find that she had telephoned； without being told； to
the office there when to expect him； to his chauffeur to be on hand。 He never
had to tell her a thing twice； nor did she interruptas Miss Ottway sometimes
had donethe processes of his thought。 Without realizing it he fell into the
habit of listening for the inflections of her voice； and though he had never
lacked the power of making decisions； she somehow made these easier for him
especially if； a human equation were involved。
He had； at least； the consolationif it were oneof reflecting that his
reputation was safe； that there would be no scandal； since two are necessary to
make the kind of scandal he had always feared； and Miss Bumpus； apparently； had
no intention of being the second party。 Yet she was not virtuous； as he had
hitherto defined the word。 Of this he was sure。 No woman who moved about as
she did； who had such an effect on him； who had on occasions； though
inadvertently； returned the lightning of his glances； whose rare laughter
resembled grace notes； and in whose hair was that almost imperceptible kink；
could be virtuous。 This instinctive conviction inflamed him。 For the first
time in his life he began to doubt the universal conquering quality of his own
charms；and when such a thing happens to a man like Ditmar he is in danger of
hell…fire。 He indulged less and less in the convivial meetings and excursions
that hitherto had given him relaxation and enjoyment； and if his cronies
inquired as to the reasons for his neglect of them he failed to answer with his
usual geniality。
〃Everything going all right up at the mills； Colonel？〃 he was asked one day by
Mr。 Madden； the treasurer of a large shoe company； when they met on the marble
tiles of the hall in their Boston club。
〃All right。 Why？〃
〃Well；〃 replied Madden； conciliatingly； 〃you seem kind of preoccupied； that's
all。 I didn't know but what the fifty…four hou