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isn't another mill in the country can turn it out in the time they ask； and
even we will have to go some to do it。 But we'll do it； by George； unless I'm
struck by lightning。〃
He leaned forward； hitting the desk with his fist； and Janet； standing beside
him； smiled。 She had the tempting gift of silence。 Forgetting her twinge of
jealousy； she was drawn toward him now； and in this mood of boyish exuberance；
of self…confidence and pride in his powers and success she liked him better
than ever before。 She had； for the first time； the curious feeling of being
years older than he； yet this did not detract from a new…born admiration。
〃I made this mill； and I'm proud of it；〃 he went on。 〃When old Stephen
Chippering put me in charge he was losing money； he'd had three agents in four
years。 The old man knew I had it in me； and I knew it； if I do say it myself。
All this union labour talk about shorter hours makes me sickwhy； there was a
time when I worked ten and twelve hours a day； and I'm man enough to do it yet；
if I have to。 When the last agentthat was Cortwas sacked I went to Boston
on my own hook and tackled the old gentlemanthat's the only way to get
anywhere。 I couldn't bear to see the mill going to scrap； and I told him a
thing or two；I had the facts and the figures。 Stephen Chippering was a big
man； but he had a streak of obstinacy in him； he was conservative； you bet。 I
had to get it across to him there was a lot of dead wood in this plant； I had
to wake him up to the fact that the twentieth century was here。 He had to be
shownhe was from Boston； you know〃 Ditmar laughed〃but he was all wool and
a yard wide； and he liked me and trusted me。
〃That was in nineteen hundred。 I can remember the interview as well as if it
had happened last nightwe sat up until two o'clock in the morning in that
library of his with the marble busts and the leather…bound books and the double
windows looking out over the Charles； where the wind was blowing a gale。 And
at last he said； ‘All right； Claude； go ahead。 I'll put you in as agent； and
stand behind you。' And by thunder； he did stand behind me。 He was quiet； the
finest looking old man I ever saw in my life； straight as a ramrod； with a
little white goatee and a red； weathered face full of creases； and a skin that
looked as if it had been pricked all over with needlesthe old Boston sort。
They don't seem to turn 'em out any more。 Why； I have a picture of him here。〃
He opened a drawer in his desk and drew out a photograph。 Janet gazed at it
sympathetically。
〃It doesn't give you any notion of those eyes of his；〃 Ditmar said；
reminiscently。 〃They looked right through a man's skull； no matter how thick
it was。 If anything went wrong； I never wasted any time in telling him about
it； and I guess it was one reason he liked me。 Some of the people up here
didn't understand him； kow…towed to him； they were scared of him； and if he
thought they had something up their sleeves he looked as if he were going to
eat 'em alive。 Regular fighting eyes； the kind that get inside of a man and
turn the light on。 And he sat so stillmade you ashamed of yourself。 Well；
he was a born fighter； went from Harvard into the Rebellion and was left for
dead at Seven Oaks； where one of the company found him and saved him。 He set
that may up for life； and never talked about it； either。 See what he wrote on
the bottom'To my friend； Claude Ditmar； Stephen Chippering。' And believe me；
when he once called a man a friend he never took it back。 I know one thing；
I'll never get another friend like him。〃
With a gesture that gave her a new insight into Ditmar； reverently he took the
picture from her hand and placed it back in the drawer。 She was stirred；
almost to tears； and moved away from him a little； as though to lessen by
distance the sudden attraction he had begun to exert： yet she lingered； half
leaning； half sitting on the corner of the big desk； her head bent toward him；
her eyes filled with light。 She was wondering whether he could ever love a
woman as he loved this man of whom he had spoken； whether he could be as true
to a woman。 His own attitude seemed never to have been more impersonal； but
she had ceased to resent it； something within her whispered that she was the
conductor； the inspirer。。 。。
〃I wish Stephen Chippering could have lived to see this order；〃 he exclaimed；
〃to see the Chippering Mill to…day！ I guess he'd be proud of it； I guess he
wouldn't regret having put me in as agent。〃
Janet did not reply。 She could not。 She sat regarding him intently； and when
he raised his eyes and caught her luminous glance； his expression changed； she
knew Stephen Chippering had passed from his mind。
〃I hope you like it here；〃 he said。 His voice had become vibrant；
ingratiating； he had changed from the master to the suppliantand yet she was
not displeased。 Power had suddenly flowed back into her； and with it an
exhilarating self…command。
〃I do like it；〃 she answered。
〃But you said； when I asked you to be my stenographer； that you didn't care for
your work。〃
〃Oh； this is different。〃
〃How？〃
〃I'm interested； the mill means something to me now you see； I'm not just
copying things I don't know anything about。〃
〃I'm glad you're interested；〃 he said； in the same odd； awkward tone。 〃I've
never had any one in the office who did my work as well。 Now Miss Ottway was a
good stenographer； she was capable； and a fine woman； but she never got the
idea； the spirit of the mill in her as you've got it； and she wasn't able to
save me trouble； as you do。 It's remarkable how you've come to understand； and
in such a short time。〃
Janet coloured。 She did not look at him； but had risen and begun to straighten
out the papers beside her。
〃There are lots of other things I'd like to understand；〃 she said。
〃What？〃 he demanded。
〃Wellabout the mill。 I never thought much about it before； I always hated
it；〃 she cried； dropping the papers and suddenly facing him。 〃It was just
drudgery。 But now I want to learn everything； all I can； I'd like to see the
machinery。〃
〃I'll take you through myselfto…morrow；〃 he declared。
His evident agitation made her pause。 They were alone； the outer office
deserted； and the Ditmar she saw now； whom she had summoned up with ridiculous
ease by virtue of that mysterious power within her； was no longer the agent of
the Chippering Mill； a boy filled with enthusiasm by a business achievement；
but a man； the incarnation and expression of masculine desire desire for her。
She knew she could compel him； if she chose； to throw caution to the winds。
〃Oh no！〃 she exclaimed。 She was afraid of him； she shrank from such a
conspicuous sign of his favour。
〃Why not？〃 he asked。
〃Because I don't want you to；〃 she said； and realized； as soon as she had
spoken； that her words might imply the existence of a something between them
never before hinted at by her。 〃I'll get Mr。 Caldwell to take me through。〃
She moved toward the door； and turned； though still on fire within； her manner
had become demure； repressed。 〃Did you wish anything more this evening？〃 she
inquired。
〃That's all；〃 he said； and she saw that he was gripping the arms of his
chair。。。。
CHAPTER VII
Autumn was at hand。 All day it had rained； but now； as night fell and Janet
went homeward； the white mist from the river was creeping stealthily over the
city； disguising the familiar and sordid landmarks。 These had become
beautiful； mysterious； somehow appealing。 The electric arcs； splotches in the
veil； revealed on the Common phantom trees； and in the distance； against the
blurred lights from the Warren Street stores skirting the park could be seen
phantom vehicles； phantom people moving to and fro。 Thus； it seemed to Janet；
invaded by a pearly mist was her own soul； in which she walked in wonder；a
mist shot through and through with soft； exhilarating lights half disclosing
yet transforming and etherealizing certain landmark's there on which； formerly；
she had not cared to gaze。 She was thinking of Ditmar as she had left him
gripping his chair； as he had dismissed her for the day； curtly； almost
savagely。 She had wounded and repelled him； and lingering in her was that
exquisite touch of feara fear now not so much inspired by Ditmar as by the
semi…acknowledged recognition of certain tendencies and capacities within
herself。 Yet she rejoiced in them； she was glad she had hurt Ditmar； she would
hurt him again。 Still palpitating； she reached the house in Fillmore Street；
halting a moment with her hand on the door； knowing her face was flushed；
anxious lest her mother or Lise might notice something unusual in her manner。
But； when she had slowly mounted the stairs and lighted the gas in the bedroom
the sight of her sister's clothes cast over the chairs was proof that Lise had
already donned her evening finery and departed。 The room was filled with the
stale smell of clothes； which Janet detested。 She flung open the windows。 She
took off her hat and swiftly tidied herself； yet the relief she felt at Lise's
absence was modified by a sudden； vehement protest against sordidness。 Why