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seeks consolation lest it go mad and commit suicidedoes it not？
Jane； young； beautiful； rich； clever； had a very good time indeedso good that in the spring； instead of going back to Remsen City to rest； she went abroad。 More enjoymentor； at least； more of the things that fill in the time and spare one the necessity of thinking。
In August she suddenly left her friends at St。 Moritz and journeyed back to Remsen City as fast as train and boat and train could take her。 And on the front veranda of the old house she sat herself down and looked out over the familiar landscape and listened to the katydids lulling the woods and the fields； and was bored and wondered why she had come。
In a reckless mood she went down to see Victor Dorn。 ‘‘I am cured；'' she said to herself。 ‘‘I must be cured。 I simply can't be small and silly enough to care for a country town labor agitator after all I've been through after the attentions I've had and the men of the world I've met。 I'm cured； and I must prove it to myself 。''
In the side yard Alice Sherrill and her children and several neighbor girls were putting up pears and peaches； blackberries and plums。 The air was heavy with delicious odors of ripe and perfect fruit； and the laughter； the bright healthy faces； the strong graceful bodies in all manner of poses at the work required made a scene that brought tears to Jane's eyes。 Why tears she could not have explained； but there they were。 At far end of the arbor； looking exactly as he had in the same place the year before； sat Victor Dorn； writing。 He glanced up； saw her！ Into his face came a look of welcome that warmed her chilled heart。
‘‘Hel…LO！'' he cried； starting up。 ‘‘I AM glad to see you。''
‘‘I'm mighty glad to be back；'' said she； lapsing with keen pleasure into her native dialect。
He took both her hands and shook them cordially； then looked at her from head to foot admiringly。 ‘‘The latest from the Rue de la Paix； I suppose？'' said he。
They seated themselves with the table between them。 She； under cover of commonplaces about her travels； examined him with the utmost calmness。 She saw every point wherein he fell short of the men of her class the sort of men she ought to like and admire。 But； oh； how dull and stale and narrow and petty they were； beside this man。 She knew now why she had fled。 She didn't want to love Victor Dorn； or to marry himor his sort of man。 But he； his intense aliveness； his keen； supple mind； had spoiled her for those others。 One of them she could not marry。 ‘‘I should go mad with boredom。 One can no more live intimately with fashion than one can eat gold and drink diamonds。 And； oh； but I am hungry and thirsty！''
‘‘So you've had a good time？'' he was saying。
Superb；'' replied she。 ‘‘Such scenerysuch variety of people。 I love Europe。 ButI'm glad to be home again。''
‘‘I don't see how you can stand it；'' said Victor。
‘‘Why？'' inquired she in surprise。
‘‘Unless I had an intense personal interest in the most active kind of life in a place like this； I should either fly or take to drink；'' replied he。 ‘‘In this world you've either got to invent occupation for yourself or else keep where amusements and distractions are thrust at you from rising till bed…time。 And no amusements are thrust at you in Remsen City。''
‘‘But I've been trying the life of being amused；'' said Jane； ‘‘and I've got enough。''
‘‘For the moment；'' said Victor； laughing。 ‘‘You'll go back。 You've got to。 What else is there for you？''
Her eyes abruptly became serious。 ‘‘That's what I've come home to find out；'' said she。 Hesitatingly； ‘‘That's why I've come here to…day。''
He became curiously quietstared at the writing before him on the table。 After a while he said：
‘‘Jane； I was entirely too glad to see you to…day。 I had''
‘‘Don't say that；'' she pleaded。 ‘‘Victor； it isn't a weakness''
His hand resting upon the table clenched into a fist and his brows drew down。 ‘‘There can be no question but that it is a weakness and a folly；'' he pushed on。 ‘‘I will not spoil your life and mine。 You are not for me； and I am not for you。 The reason we hang on to this is because each of us has a streak of tenacity。 We don't want each other； but we are so made that we can't let go of an idea once it has gotten into our heads。''
‘‘There is another reason；'' she said gently。 ‘‘We are； both of us； aloneand lonesome； Victor。''
‘‘But I'm not alone。 I'm not lonesome'' And there he abruptly halted； to gaze at her with the expression of awakening and astonishment。 ‘‘I believe I'm wrong。 I believe you're right；'' he exclaimed。 ‘‘I had never thought of that before。''
‘‘You've been imagining your work； your cause was enough；'' she went on in a quiet rational way that was a revelationand a self…revelationof the real Jane Hastings。 ‘‘But it isn't。 There's a whole other side of your naturethethethe private sidethat's the expressionthe private side。 And you've been denying to it its rights。''
He reflected； nodded slowly。 ‘‘I believe that's the truth；'' he said。 ‘‘It explains a curious feeling I've had a sort of shriveling sensation。'' He gazed thoughtfully at her； his face gradually relaxing into a merry smile。
‘‘What is it？'' asked she； smiling in turn。
‘‘We've both got to fall in love and marry；'' said he。 ‘‘Not with each other； of coursefor we're not in any way mated。 But love and marriage and the rest of it that's the solution。 I don't need it quite as much as you do； for I've got my work。 But I need it。 Now that I see things in the right light I wonder that I've been so stupidly blind。 Why do we human beings always overlook the obvious？''
‘‘It isn't easy to marry；'' said Jane； rather drearily。 ‘‘It isn't easy to find some one with whom one would be willing to pass one's life。 I've had several chances one or two of them not entirely mercenary； I think。 But not one that I could bring myself to accept。''
‘‘Vanityvanity；'' said Victor。 ‘‘Almost any human being is interesting and attractive if one will stop thinking about oneself and concentrate on him or her。''
She smiled。 ‘‘It's evident you've never tried to fall in love。''
‘‘The nearest I ever came to it was with you；'' replied he。 ‘‘But that was； of course； out of the question。''
‘‘I don't admit that；'' said she； with an amusing kind of timid obstinacy。
‘‘Let's be honest and natural with each other；'' urged he。 ‘‘Now； Jane； admit that in your heart of hearts you feel you ought not to marry me。''
Her glance avoided his。
‘‘Comeown up！'' cried he。
‘‘I have thought of that side of it；'' she conceded。
‘‘And if I hadn't piqued you by thinking of it； too； you'd never have lingered on any other side of it；'' said he。 ‘‘Well！ Now that we've cleared the ground there's Davy。 He's to be nominated by the Republicans for Governor next week。''
‘‘Davy？ I had almost forgotten him。 I'll think of Davyand let you know 。 。 。 And you？ Who is there for you？''
‘‘Ohno one you know。 My sister has recommended several girls from time to time。 I'll see。''
Jane gave the freest and heartiest laugh that had passed her lips in more than a year。 It was thus free and unrestrained bec