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humour； but it was new to her experience； and she could not cope with it。
〃Only to buy some crackers； or a sandwich；〃 she replied； and blushed。
〃Oh；〃 he said。 〃Down in the village； on the corner where the cars stop； is a
restaurant。 It's not as good as the Parker House in Boston； I believe； but
they do have sandwiches； yes； and coffee。 At least they call it coffee。〃
〃Oh； thank you；〃 she said。
〃You'd better wait till you try it；〃 he warned her。
〃Oh； I don't mind； I don't want much。〃 And she was impelled to add： 〃It's such
a beautiful day。〃
〃It's absurd to get hungry on such a dayabsurd；〃 he agreed。
〃Yes； it is；〃 she laughed。 〃I'm not really hungry； but I haven't time to get
back to Hampton for dinner。〃 Suddenly she grew hot at the thought that he
might suspect her of hinting。 〃You see； I live in Hampton；〃 she went on
hurriedly； 〃I'm a stenographer there； in the Chippering Mill； and I was just
out for a walk； andI came farther than I intended。〃 She had made it worse。
But he said； 〃Oh； you came from Hampton！〃 with an intonation of surprise； of
incredulity even； that soothed and even amused while it did not deceive her。
Not that the superior intelligence of which she had begun to suspect him had
been put to any real test by the discovery of her home； and she was quite sure
her modest suit of blue serge and her 2。99 pongee blouse proclaimed her as a
working girl of the mill city。 〃I've been to Hampton；〃 he declared； just as
though it were four thousand miles away instead of four。
〃But I've never been here before； to Silliston；〃 she responded in the same
spirit： and she added wistfully； 〃it must be nice to live in such a beautiful
place as this！〃
〃Yes； it is nice；〃 he agreed。 〃We have our troubles； too；but it's nice。〃
She ventured a second； appraising glance。 His head； which he carried a little
flung back； his voice； his easy and confident bearingall these contradicted
the saw and the hammer； the flannel shirt； open at the neck； the khaki trousers
still bearing the price tag。 And curiosity beginning to get the better of her；
she was emboldened to pay a compliment to the fence。 If one had to work； it
must be a pleasure to work on things pleasing to the eyesuch was her
inference。
〃Why； I'm glad you like it；〃 he said heartily。 〃I was just hoping some one
would come along here and admire it。 Nowwhat colour would you paint it？〃
〃Are you a painter； too？〃
〃After a fashion。 I'm a sort of man of all workI thought of painting it
white； with the pillars green。〃
〃I think that would be pretty；〃 she answered； judicially； after a moment's
thought。 〃What else can you do？〃
He appeared to be pondering his accomplishments。
〃Well； I can doctor trees；〃 he said； pointing an efficient finger at the
magnificent maple sheltering； like a guardian deity； the old farmhouse。 〃I put
in those patches。〃
〃They're cement；〃 she exclaimed。 〃I never heard of putting cement in trees。〃
〃They don't seem to mind。〃
〃Are the holes very deep？〃
〃Pretty deep。〃
〃But I should think the tree would be dead。〃
〃Well； you see the life of a tree is right under the bark。 If you can keep the
outer covering intact； the tree will live。〃
〃Why did you let the holes get so deep？〃
〃I've just come here。 The house was like the tree the shingles all rotten； but
the beams were sound。 Those beams were hewn out of the forest two hundred and
fifty years ago。〃
〃Gracious！〃 said Janet。 〃And how old is the tree？〃
〃I should say about a hundred。 I suppose it wouldn't care to admit it。〃
〃How do you know？〃 she inquired。
〃Oh； I'm very intimate with trees。 I find out their secrets。〃
〃It's your house！〃 she exclaimed； somewhat appalled by the discovery。
〃Yesyes it is；〃 he answered； looking around at it and then in an
indescribably comical manner down at his clothes。 His gesture； his expression
implied that her mistake was a most natural one。
〃Excuse me； I thought〃 she began； blushing hotly； yet wanting to laugh again。
〃I don't blame youwhy shouldn't you？〃 he interrupted her。 〃I haven't got
used to it yet； and there is something amusing aboutmy owning a house。 When
the parlour's finished I'll have to wear a stiff collar； I suppose； in order to
live up to it。〃
Her laughter broke forth； and she tried to imagine him in a stiff collar。。。。
But she was more perplexed than ever。 She stood balancing on one foot； poised
for departure。
〃I ought to be going；〃 she said； as though she had been paying him a formal
visit。
〃Don't hurry；〃 he protested cordially。 〃Why hurry back to Hampton？〃
〃I never want to go back！〃 she cried with a vehemence that caused him to
contemplate her anew； suddenly revealing the intense； passionate quality which
had so disturbed Mr。 Ditmar。 She stood transformed。 〃I hate it！〃 she
declared。 〃It's so ugly； I never want to see it again。〃
〃Yes； it is ugly；〃 he confessed。 〃Since you admit it； I don't mind saying so。
But it's interesting； in a way。〃 Though his humorous moods had delighted her；
she felt subtly flattered because he had grown more serious。
〃It is interesting；〃 she agreed。 She was almost impelled to tell him why； in
her excursions to the various quarters； she had found Hampton interesting； but
a shyness born of respect for the store of knowledge she divined in him
restrained her。 She was curious to know what this man saw in Hampton。 His
opinion would be worth something。 Unlike her neighbours in Fillmore Street； he
was not what her sister Lise would call 〃nutty〃； he had an air of fine sanity；
of freedom； of detachment；though the word did not occur to her； he betrayed
no bitter sense of injustice； and his beliefs were uncoloured by the obsession
of a single panacea。 〃Why do you think it's interesting？〃 she demanded。
〃Well； I'm always expecting to hear that it's blown up。 It reminds me of
nitro…glycerine；〃 he added； smiling。
She repeated the word。
〃An explosive； you knowthey put it in dynamite。 They say a man once made it
by accident； and locked up his laboratory and ran homeand never went back。〃
〃I know what you mean！〃 she cried； her eyes alight with excitement。 〃All those
foreigners！ I've felt it that something would happen； some day； it frightened
me； and yet I wished that something would happen。 Only； I never would have
thought ofnitro…glycerine。〃
She was unaware of the added interest in his regard。 But he answered lightly
enough：
〃Oh； not only the foreigners。 Human chemicalsyou can't play with human
chemicals any more than you can play with real onesyou've got to know
something about chemistry。〃
This remark was beyond her depth。
〃Who is playing with them？〃 she asked。
〃Everybodyno one in particular。 Nobody seems to know much about them； yet；〃
he replied； and seemed disinclined to pursue the subject。 A robin with a worm
in its bill was hopping across the grass； he whistled softly； the bird stopped；
cocking its head and regarding them。 Suddenly； in conflict with her desire to
remain indefinitely talking with this strange man； Janet felt an intense
impulse to leave。 She could bear the conversation no longer； she might burst
into tearssuch was the extraordinary effect he had produced on her。
〃I must go；I'm ever so much obliged to you；〃 she said。
〃Drop in again；〃 he said； as he took her trembling hand 。。。。 When she had
walked a little way she looked back over her shoulder to see him leaning idly
against the post； gazing after her； and waving his hammer in friendly fashion。
For a while her feet fairly flew； and her heart beat tumultuously； keeping time
with her racing thoughts。 She walked about the Common； seeing nothing； paying
no attention to the passers…by； who glanced at her curiously。 But at length as
she grew calmer the needs of a youthful and vigorous body became imperative；
and realizing suddenly that she was tired and hungry； sought and found the
little restaurant in the village below。 She journeyed back to Hampton
pondering what this man had said to her； speculating； rather breathlessly；
whether he had been impelled to conversation by a natural kindness and
courtesy； or whether he really had discovered something in her worthy of
addressing； as he implied。 Resentment burned in her breast； she became
suddenly blinded by tears： she might never see him again； and if only she were
〃educated〃 she might know him； become his friend。 Even in this desire she was
not conventional； and in the few moments of their contact he had developed
rather than transformed what she meant by 〃education。〃 She thought of it not
as knowledge reeking of books and schools； but as the acquirement of the
freemasonry which he so evidently possessed； existence on terms of
understanding； confidence； and freedom with nature； as having the world open up
to one like a flower filled with colour and life。 She thought of the robin； of
the tree whose secrets he had learned； of a mental range including even that
medley of human beings amongst whom she lived。 And the fact that something of
his meaning had eluded her grasp made her rebel all the more bitterly against
the lack of a greater knowledge 。。。。
Often during the weeks that followed he dwelt