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It was before Janet's convalescence began that Mrs。 Maturin had consulted
Insall concerning her proposed experiment in literature。 Afterwards he
had left Silliston for a lumber camp on a remote river in northern Maine；
abruptly to reappear； on a mild afternoon late in April； in Augusta
Maturin's garden。 The crocuses and tulips were in bloom； and his friend；
in a gardening apron； was on her knees； trowel in hand； assisting a hired
man to set out marigolds and snapdragons。
〃Well； it's time you were home again；〃 she exclaimed； as she rose to
greet him and led him to a chair on the little flagged terrace beside the
windows of her library。 〃I've got so much to tell you about our
invalid。〃
〃Our invalid！〃 Insall retorted。
〃Of course。 I look to you to divide the responsibility with me； and
you've shirked by running off to Maine。 You found her； you knowand
she's really remarkable。〃
〃Now see here； Augusta； you can't expect me to share the guardianship of
an attractive andwell； a dynamic young woman。 If she affects you this
way； what will she do to me？ I'm much too susceptible。〃
〃Susceptible〃 she scoffed。 〃But you can't get out of it。 I need you。
I've never been so interested and so perplexed in my life。〃
〃How is she？〃 Insall asked。
〃Frankly； I'm worried；〃 said Mrs。 Maturin。 〃At first she seemed to be
getting along beautifully。 I read to her； a little every day； and it was
wonderful how she responded to it。 I'll tell you about that I've got so
much to tell you！ Young Dr。 Trent is puzzled； too； it seems there are
symptoms in the case for which he cannot account。 Some three weeks ago
he asked me what I made out of her； and I can't make anythingthat's the
trouble； except that she seems pathetically grateful； and that I've grown
absurdly fond of her。 But she isn't improving as fast as she should； and
Dr。 Trent doesn't know whether or not to suspect functional
complications。 Her constitution seems excellent； her vitality unusual。
Trent's impressed by her； he inclines to the theory that she has
something on her mind； and if this is so she should get rid of it； tell
it to somebodyin short； tell it to me。 I know she's fond of me； but
she's so maddeningly self…contained； and at moments when I look at her
she baffles me； she makes me feel like an atom。 Twenty times at least
I've almost screwed up my courage to ask her； but when it comes to the
point； I simply can't do it。〃
〃You ought to be able to get at it； if any one can；〃 said Insall。
〃I've a notion it may be connected with the strike；〃 Augusta Maturin
continued。 〃I never could account for her being mixed up in that；
plunging into Syndicalism。 It seemed so foreign to her nature。 I wish
I'd waited a little longer before telling her about the strike； but one
day she asked me how it had come outand she seemed to be getting along
so nicely I didn't see any reason for not telling her。 I said that the
strike was over； that the millowners had accepted the I。W。W。 terms； but
that Antonelli and Jastro had been sent to jail and were awaiting trial
because they had been accused of instigating the murder of a woman who
was shot by a striker aiming at a policeman。 It seems that she had seen
that！ She told me so quite casually。 But she was interested； and I went
on to mention how greatly the strikers were stirred by the arrests； how
they paraded in front of the jail； singing； and how the feeling was
mostly directed against Mr。 Ditmar； because he was accused of instigating
the placing of dynamite in the tenements。〃
〃And you spoke of Mr。 Ditmar's death？〃 Insall inquired。
〃Why yes； I told her how he had been shot in Dover Street by a demented
Italian； and if it hadn't been proved that the Italian was insane and not
a mill worker； the result of the strike might have been different。〃
〃How did she take it？〃
〃Well； she was shocked； of course。 She sat up in bed； staring at me； and
then leaned back on the pillows again。 I pretended not to notice itbut
I was sorry I'd said anything about it。〃
〃She didn't say anything？〃
〃Not a word。〃
〃Didn't you know that； before the strike； she was Ditmar's private
stenographer？〃
〃No！〃 Augusta Maturin exclaimed。 〃Why didn't you tell me？〃
〃It never occurred to me to tell you；〃 Insall replied。
〃That must have something to do with it！〃 said Mrs。 Maturin。
Insall got up and walked to the end of the terrace； gazing at a bluebird
on the edge of the lawn。
〃Well； not necessarily；〃 he said； after a while。 〃Did you ever find out
anything about her family？〃
〃Oh； yes； I met the father once； he's been out two or three times； on
Sunday； and came over here to thank me for what I'd done。 The mother
doesn't comeshe has some trouble； I don't know exactly what。 Brooks； I
wish you could see the father； he's so typically uniqueif one may use
the expression。 A gatekeeper at the Chipperiug Mills！〃
〃A gatekeeper？〃
〃Yes； and I'm quite sure he doesn't understand to this day how he became
one； or why。 He's delightfully naive on the subject of genealogy； and I
had the Bumpus family by heart before he left。 That's the form his
remnant of the intellectual curiosity of his ancestors takes。 He was
born in Dolton； which was settled by the original Bumpus； back in the
Plymouth Colony days； and if he were rich he'd have a library stuffed
with gritty； yellow…backed books and be a leading light in the Historical
Society。 He speaks with that nicety of pronunciation of the old New
Englander； never slurring his syllables； and he has a really fine face；
the kind of face one doesn't often see nowadays。 I kept looking at it；
wondering what was the matter with it； and at last I realized what it
lackedwill； desire； ambition；it was what a second…rate sculptor might
have made of Bradford； for instance。 But there is a remnant of fire in
him。 Once； when he spoke of the strike； of the foreigners； he grew quite
indignant。〃
〃He didn't tell you why his daughter had joined the strikers？〃 Insall
asked。
〃He was just as much at sea about that as you and I are。 Of course I
didn't ask himhe asked me if I knew。 It's only another proof of her
amazing reticence。 And I can imagine an utter absence of sympathy
between them。 He accounts for her； of course； he's probably the
unconscious transmitter of qualities the Puritans possessed and tried to
smother。 Certainly the fires are alight in her； and yet it's almost
incredible that he should have conveyed them。 Of course I haven't seen
the mother。〃
〃It's curious he didn't mention her having been Ditmar's stenographer；〃
Insall put in。 〃Was that reticence？〃
〃I hardly think so；〃 Augusta Maturin replied。 〃It may have been； but the
impression I got was of an incapacity to feel the present。 All his
emotions are in the past； most of his conversation was about Bumpuses who
are dead and buried； and his pride in Janetfor he has a prideseems to
exist because she is their representative。 It's extraordinary； but he
sees her present situation； her future； with extraordinary optimism； he
apparently regards her coming to Silliston； even in the condition in
which we found her； as a piece of deserved fortune f