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confess before him； they were there in the place of the child's father
and mother； and it was due to them。 As he pressed rapidly toward the
light he framed in his thought the things he should say； and he did not
notice； as he turned to enter the private hallway leading to Mrs。
Atwell's apartment； a figure at the door。 It shrank back from his
contact； and he recognized Clementina。 His purpose instantly changed；
and he said； 〃Is that you； Miss Claxon？ I want to speak with you。 Will
you come a moment where I can？〃
〃II don't know as I'd betta；〃 she faltered。 But she saw the box under
his arm； and she thought that he wished to speak to her about that； and
she wanted to hear what he would say。 She had been waiting at the door
there； because she could not bear to go to her room without having
something more happen。
〃You needn't be afraid。 I shall not keep you。 Come with me a moment。
There is something I must tell you at once。 You have made a mistake。
And it is my fault。 Come！〃
Clementina stepped out into the moonlight with him； and they walked
across the grass that sloped between the hotel and the river。 There were
still people about； late smokers singly； and in groups along the piazzas；
and young couples； like themselves； strolling in the dry air； under the
pure sky。
Gregory made several failures in trying to begin； before he said： 〃I have
to tell you that you are mistaken about Mr。 Fane。 I was there behind the
letter boxes when you came in； and I know that you left these shoes
because you thought he sent them to you。 He didn't send them。〃
Clementina did not say anything； and Gregory was forced to ask： 〃Do you
wish to know who sent them？ I won't tell you unless you do wish it。〃
〃I think I ought to know；〃 she said； and she asked； 〃Don't you？〃
〃Yes； for you must blame some one else now； for what you thought Fane
did。 I sent them to you。〃
Clementina's heart gave a leap in her breast； and she could not say
anything。 He went on。
〃I saw that you wanted them that day； and when the peddler happened to
overtake me in the woods where I was walking； after I left you； I acted
on a sudden impulse； and I bought them for you。 I meant to send them to
you anonymously； then。 I had committed one error in acting upon impulse…
my rashness is my besetting sinand I wished to add a species of deceit
to that。 But I was kept from it until…to…day。 I hoped you would like to
wear them to the dance to…night； and I put them in the post…office for
you myself。 Mr。 Fane didn't know anything about it。 That is all。 I am
to blame； and no one else。〃
He waited for her to speak； but Clementina could only say； 〃I don't know
what to say。〃
〃You can't say anything that would be punishment enough for me。 I have
acted foolishly； cruelly。〃
Clementina did not think so。 She was not indignant； as she was when she
thought Fane had taken this liberty with her； but if Mr。 Gregory thought
it was so very bad； it must be something much more serious than she had
imagined。 She said； 〃I don't see why you wanted to do it；〃 hoping that
he would be able to tell her something that would make his behavior seem
less dreadful than he appeared to think it was。
〃There is only one thing that could justify it； and that is something
that I cannot justify。〃 It was very mysterious； but youth loves mystery；
and Clementina was very young。 〃I did it；〃 said Gregory solemnly； and he
felt that now he was acting from no impulse； but from a wisely considered
decision which he might not fail in without culpability； 〃because I love
you。〃
〃Oh！〃 said Clementina； and she started away from him。
〃I knew that it would make me detestable！〃 he cried； bitterly。 〃I had to
tell you； to explain what I did。 I couldn't help doing it。 But now if
you can forget it； and never think of me again； I can go away； and try to
atone for it somehow。 I shall be guided。〃
Clementina did not know why she ought to feel affronted or injured by
what he had said to her； but if Mr。 Gregory thought it was wrong for him
to have spoken so； it must be wrong。 She did not wish him to feel badly；
even if he had done wrong； but she had to take his view of what he had
done。 〃Why； suttainly； Mr。 Gregory；〃 she answered。 〃You mustn't mind
it。〃
〃But I do mind it。 I have been very； very selfish； very thoughtless。 We
are both too young。 I can't ask you to wait for me till I could marry〃
The word really frightened Clementina。 She said； 〃I don't believe I
betta promise。〃
〃Oh； I know it！〃 said Gregory。 〃I am going away from here。 I am going
to…morrow as soon as I can arrangeas soon as I can get away。 Good…
nightI〃Clementina in her agitation put her hands up to her face。
〃Oh； don't cryI can't bear to have you cry。〃
She took down her hands。 〃I'm not crying！ But I wish I had neva seen
those slippas。〃
They had come to the bank of the river； whose current quivered at that
point in a scaly ripple in the moonlight。 At her words Gregory suddenly
pulled the box from under his arm； and flung it into the stream as far as
he could。 It caught upon a shallow of the ripple； hung there a moment；
then loosed itself； and swam swiftly down the stream。
〃Oh！〃 Clementina moaned。
〃Do you want them back？〃 he demanded。 〃I will go in for them！〃
〃No； no！ No。 But it seemed such awaste！〃
〃Yes； that is a sin； too。〃 They climbed silently to the hotel。 At Mrs。
Atwell's door； he spoke。 〃Try to forget what I said； and forgive me； if
you can。〃
〃Yesyes； I will； Mr。 Gregory。 You mustn't think of it any moa。〃
XII。
Clementina did not sleep till well toward morning； and she was still
sleeping when Mrs。 Atwell knocked and called in to her that her brother
Jim wanted to see her。 She hurried down； and in the confusion of mind
left over from the night before she cooed sweetly at Jim as if he had
been Mr。 Gregory； 〃What is it； Jim？ What do you want me for？〃
The boy answered with the disgust a sister's company manners always rouse
in a brother。 〃Motha wants you。 Says she's wo'ked down； and she wants
you to come and help。〃 Then he went his way。
Mrs。 Atwell was used to having help snatched from her by their families
at a moment's notice。 〃I presume you've got to go； Clem；〃 she said。
〃Oh； yes； I've got to go；〃 Clementina assented； with a note of relief
which mystified Mrs。 Atwell。
〃You tied readin' to Mr。 Milray？〃
〃Oh； no'm…no； I mean。 But I guess I betta go home。 I guess I've been
away long enough。〃
〃Well； you're a good gul； Clem。 I presume your motha's got a right to
have you home if she wants you。〃 Clementina said nothing to this； but
turned briskly； and started upstairs toward her room again。 The landlady
called after her； 〃Shall you speak to Mis' Milray； or do you want I
should？〃
Clementina looked back at her over her shoulder to warble； 〃Why； if you
would； Mrs。 Atwell；〃 and kept on to her room。
Mrs。 Milray was not wholly sorry to have her go； she was going herself
very soon； and Clementina's earlier departure simplified the question of
getting rid of her； but she overwhelmed her with reproaches which
Clementina received with such sweet sincerity that another than Mrs。
Milray might have blamed herself for having abused her ingenuousness。
The Atwells could very well have let the girl walk home； but they sent
her in a buckboard； with one of the stablemen to drive her。 The landlord
put her neat bundle under the seat of the buckboard with his own hand。
There was something in the child's bearing； her dignity and her
amiability； which made people offer her； half in fun； and half in
earnest； the deference paid to age and state。
She did not know whether Gregory would try to see her before she went。
She thought he must have known she was going； but since he neither came
to take leave of her； nor sent her any message； she decided that she had
not expected him to do so。 About the third week of September she heard
that he had left Middlemount and gone back to college。
She kept at her work in the house and helped her mother； and looked after
the little ones； she followed her father in the woods； in his quest of
stuff for walking sticks； and advised with both concerning the taste of
summer folks in dress and in canes。 The winter came； and she read many
books in its long leisure； mostly novels； out of the rector's library。
He had a whole set of Miss Edgeworth； and nearly all of Miss Austen and
Miss Gurney； and he gave of them to Clementina； as the best thing for her
mind as well as her morals； he believed nothing could be better for any
one than these old English novels； which he had nearly forgotten in their
details。 She colored the faded English life of the stories afresh from
her Yankee circumstance； and it seemed the consensus of their testimony
that she had really been made love to； and not so very much too soon； at
her age of sixteen； for most of their heroines were not much older。 The
terms of Gregory's declaration and of its withdrawal were mystifying； but
not more mystifying than many such things； and from what happened in the
novels she read； the affair might be trusted to come out all right of
itself in time。 She was rather thoug