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Ditmar； had seen them struck with fire。 He wondered whether any other man
had been as fortunate。
Later in the morning； quite casually； he made inquiries of Miss Ottway； who
liked Janet and was willing to do her a good turn。
〃Why； she's a clever girl； Mr。 Ditmar； a good stenographer； and conscientious
in her work。 She's very quick； too。
〃Yes； I've noticed that；〃 Ditmar replied； who was quite willing to have it
thought that his inquiry was concerned with Janet's aptitude for business。
〃She keeps to herself and minds her own affairs。 You can see she comes of good
stock。〃 Miss Ottway herself was proud of her New England blood。 〃Her father；
you know； is the gatekeeper down there。 He's been unfortunate。〃
〃You don't sayI didn't connect her with him。 Fine looking old man。 A friend
of mine who recommended him told me he'd seen better days 。。。。〃
CHAPTER II
In spite of the surprising discovery in his office of a young woman of such a
disquieting； galvanic quality； it must not be supposed that Mr。 Claude Ditmar
intended to infringe upon a fixed principle。 He had principles。 For him； as
for the patriarchs and householders of Israel； the seventh commandment was only
relative； yet hitherto he had held rigidly to that relativity； laying down the
sound doctrine that women and business would not mix： or； as he put it to his
intimates； no sensible man would fool with a girl in his office。 Hence it may
be implied that Mr。 Ditmar's experiences with the opposite sex had been on a
property basis。 He was one of those busy and successful persons who had never
appreciated or acquired the art of quasi…platonic amenities； whose idea of a
good time was limited to discreet excursions with cronies； likewise busy and
successful persons who； by reason of having married early and unwisely； are
strangers to the delights of that higher social intercourse chronicled in
novels and the public prints。 If one may conveniently overlook the joys of a
companionship of the soul； it is quite as possible to have a taste in women as
in champagne or cigars。 Mr。 Ditmar preferred blondes； and he liked them rather
stout； a predilection that had led him into matrimony with a lady of this
description： a somewhat sticky； candy…eating lady with a mania for card
parties； who undoubtedly would have dyed her hair if she had lived。 He was not
inconsolable； but he had had enough of marriage to learn that it demands a
somewhat exorbitant price for joys otherwise more reasonably to be obtained。
He was left a widower with two children； a girl of thirteen and a boy of
twelve； both somewhat large for their ages。 Amy attended the only private
institution for the instruction of her sex of which Hampton could boast； George
continued at a public school。 The late Mrs。 Ditmar for some years before her
demise had begun to give evidence of certain restless aspirations to which
American ladies of her type and situation seem peculiarly liable； and with a
view to their ultimate realization she had inaugurated a Jericho…like campaign。
Death had released Ditmar from its increasing pressure。 For his wife had
possessed that admirable substitute for character； persistence； had been expert
in the use of importunity； often an efficient weapon in the hands of the female
economically dependent。 The daughter of a defunct cashier of the Hampton
National Bank； when she had married Ditmar； then one of the superintendents of
the Chippering and already a marked man； she had deemed herself fortunate among
women； looking forward to a life of ease and idleness and candy in great
abundance；a dream temporarily shattered by the unforeseen discomfort of
bringing two children into the world； with an interval of scarcely a year
between them。 Her parents from an excess of native modesty having failed to
enlighten her on this subject； her feelings were those of outraged
astonishment； and she was quite determined not to repeat the experience a third
time。 Knowledge thus belatedly acquired； for a while she abandoned herself to
the satisfaction afforded by the ability to take a commanding position in
Hampton society； gradually to become aware of the need of a more commodious
residence。 In a certain kind of intuition she was rich。 Her husband had
meanwhile become Agent of the Chippering Mill； and she strongly suspected that
his prudent reticence on the state of his finances was the best indication of
an increasing prosperity。 He had indeed made money； been given many
opportunities for profitable investments； but the argument for social pre…
eminence did not appeal to him： tears and reproaches； recriminations； when
frequently applied； succeeded better； like many married men； what he most
desired was to be let alone； but in some unaccountable way she had come to
suspect that his preference for blondes was of a more liberal nature than at
first； in her innocence； she had realized。 She was jealous； too； of his
cronies； in spite of the fact that these gentlemen； when they met her； treated
her with an elaborate politeness； and she accused him with entire justice of
being more intimate with them than with her； with whom he was united in holy
bonds。 The inevitable result of these tactics was the modern mansion in the
upper part of Warren Street； known as the 〃residential〃 district。 Built on a
wide lot； with a garage on one side to the rear； with a cement driveway divided
into squares； and a wall of democratic height separating its lawn from the
sidewalk； the house may for the present be better imagined than described。
A pious chronicler of a more orthodox age would doubtless have deemed it a
judgment that Cora Ditmar survived but two years to enjoy the glories of the
Warren Street house。 For a while her husband indulged in a foolish optimism；
only to learn that the habit of matrimonial blackmail； once acquired； is not
easily shed。 Scarcely had he settled down to the belief that by the
gratification of her supreme desire he had achieved comparative peace； than he
began to suspect her native self…confidence of cherishing visions of a career
contemplating nothing less than the eventual abandonment of Hampton itself as a
field too limited for her social talents and his business ability and bank
accountat which she was pleased to hint。 Hampton suited Ditmar； his passion
was the Chippering Mill； and he was in process of steeling himself to resist；
whatever the costs； this preposterous plan when he was mercifully released by
death。 Her intention of sending the children away to acquire a culture and
finish Hampton did not afford；George to Silliston Academy； Amy to a
fashionable boarding school；he had not opposed； yet he did not take the idea
with sufficient seriousness to carry it out。 The children remained at home；
more or lessincreasingly lessin the charge of an elderly woman who acted as
housekeeper。
Ditmar had miraculously regained his freedom。 And now； when he made trips to
New York and Boston； combining business with pleasure； there were no questions
asked； no troublesome fictions to be composed。 More frequently he was in
Boston； where he belonged to a large and comfortable club； not too exacting in
regard to membership； and here he met his cronies and sometimes planned
excursions with them； automobile trips in summer to the White Mountains or
choice little resorts to spend Sundays and holidays； generally taking with them
a case of champagne and several bags of golf sticks。 He was fond of shooting；
and belonged to a duck club on the Cape； where poker and bridge were not
tabooed。 To his intimates he was known as 〃Dit。〃 Nor is it surprising that
his attitude toward women had become in general one of resentment； matrimony he
now regarded as unmitigated folly。 At five and forty he was a vital；
dominating； dust…coloured man six feet and half an inch in height； weighing a
hundred and ninety pounds； and thus a trifle fleshy。 When relaxed； and in
congenial company； he looked rather boyish； an aspect characteristic of many
American business men of to…day。
His head was large； he wore his hair short； his features also proclaimed him as
belonging to a modern American type in that they were not clear…cut； but rather
indefinable； a bristling； short…cropped moustache gave him a certain efficient；
military look which； when introduced to strangers as 〃Colonel；〃 was apt to
deceive them into thinking him an army officer。 The title he had once received
as a member of the staff of the governor of the state； and was a tribute to a
gregariousness and political influence rather than to a genius for the art of
war。 Ex officio； as the agent of the Chippering Mill and a man of substance to
boot； he was 〃in〃 politics； hail fellow well met with and an individual to be
taken into account by politicians from the governor and member of congress
down。 He was efficient； of course； he had efficient hands and shrewd；
efficient eyes； and the military impression was deepened by his manner of
dealing with people； his conversation being yea； yea and nay； nay；save with
his cronies and those of the other sex from whom he had something to gain。 His
clothes always looked new； of pronounced patterns and lig