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in his eyes…unnerved her。 She was warmly conscious of his gaze。 Then he
turned； and opening a compartment at the back of the car drew from it a
bright tweed motor coat warmly lined。
〃Oh； no！〃 she protested； drawing back。 〃I'llI'll be warm enough。〃 But
laughingly； triumphantly； he seized her and thrust her arms in the
sleeves； his fingers pressing against her。 Overcome by shyness； she drew
away from him。
〃I made a pretty good guess at the sizedidn't I； Janet？〃 he cried；
delightedly surveying her。 〃I couldn't forget it！〃 His glance grew more
concentrated； warmer； penetrating。
〃You mustn't look at me like that！〃 she pleaded with lowered eyes。
〃Why notyou're minearen't you？ You're mine； now。〃
〃I don't know。 There are lots of things I want to talk about；〃 she
replied； but her protest sounded feeble； unconvincing； even to herself。
He fairly lifted her into the automobileit was a caress； only tempered
by the semipublicity of the place。 He was giving her no time to think
but she did not want to； think。 Starting the engine； he got in and
leaned toward her。
〃Not here！〃 she exclaimed。
〃All rightI'll wait；〃 he agreed； tucking the robe about her deftly；
solicitously； and she sank back against the seat； surrendering herself to
the luxury； the wonder of being cherished； the caressing and sheltering
warmth she felt of security and love； the sense of emancipation from
discontent and sordidness and struggle。 For a moment she closed her
eyes； but opened them again to behold the transformed image of herself
reflected in the windshield to confirm the illusionif indeed it were
one！ The tweed coat seemed startlingly white in the sunlight； and the
woman she saw； yet recognized as herself； was one of the fortunately
placed of the earth with power and beauty at her command！ And she could
no longer imagine herself as the same person who the night before had
stood in front of the house in Warren Street。 The car was speeding over
the smooth surface of the boulevard； the swift motion； which seemed to
her like that of flying； the sparkling air； the brightness of the day；
the pressure of Ditmar's shoulder against hers； thrilled her。 She
marvelled at his sure command over the machine； that responded like a
live thing to his touch。 On the wide； straight stretches it went at a
mad pace that took her breath； and again； in turning a corner or passing
another car； it slowed down； purring in meek obedience。 Once she gasped：
〃Not so fast！ I can't stand it。〃
He laughed and obeyed her。 They glided between river and sky across the
delicate fabric of a bridge which but a moment before she had seen in the
distance。 Running through the little village on the farther bank； they
left the river。
〃Where are you going？〃 she asked。
〃Oh； for a little spin；〃 he answered indulgently； turning into a side
road that wound through the woods and suddenly stopping。 〃Janet； we've
got this daythis whole day to ourselves。〃 He seized and drew her to
him； and she yielded dizzily； repaying the passion of his kiss； forgetful
of past and future while he held her； whispering brokenly endearing
phrases。
〃You'll ruin my roses；〃 she protested breathlessly； at last； when it
seemed that she could no longer bear this embrace； nor the pressure of
his lips。 〃There！ you see you're crushing them！〃 She undid them； and
buttoning the coat； held them to her face。 Their odour made her faint：
her eyes were clouded。
〃Listen； Claude！〃 she said at last；it was the first time she had called
him sogetting free。 〃You must be sensible！ some one might come along。〃
〃I'll never get enough of you！〃 he said。 〃I can't believe it yet。〃 And
added irrelevantly： 〃Pin the roses outside。〃
She shook her head。 Something in her protested against this too public
advertisement of their love。
〃I'd rather hold them；〃 she answered。 〃Let's go on。〃 He started the car
again。 〃Listen； I want to talk to you； seriously。 I've been thinking。〃
〃Don't I know you've been thinking！〃 he told her exuberantly。 〃If I
could only find out what's always going on in that little head of yours！
If you keep on thinking you'll dry up； like a New England school…marm。
And now do you know what you are？ One of those dusky red roses just
ready to bloom。 Some day I'll buy enough to smother you in 'em。〃
〃Listen！〃 she repeated； making a great effort to calm herself； to regain
something of that frame of mind in which their love had assumed the
proportions of folly and madness； to summon up the scruples which； before
she had left home that morning； she had resolved to lay before him； which
she knew would return when she could be alone again。 〃I have to think
you won't；〃 she exclaimed； with a fleeting smile。
〃Well； what is it？〃 he assented。 〃You might as well get it off now。〃
And it took all her strength to say： 〃I don't see how I can marry you。
I've told you the reasons。 You're rich； and you have friends who
wouldn't understandand your childrenthey wouldn't understand。 II'm
nothing； I know it isn't right； I know you wouldn't be happy。 I've never
livedin the kind of house you live in and known the kind of people you
know； I shouldn't know what to do。〃
He took his eyes off the road and glanced down at her curiously。 His
smile was self…confident； exultant。
〃Now do you feel betteryou little Puritan？〃 he said。
And perforce she smiled in return； a pucker appearing between her
eyebrows。
〃I mean it；〃 she said。 〃I came out to tell you so。 I knowit just
isn't possible。〃
〃I'd marry you to…day if I could get a license；〃 he declared。 〃Why；
you're worth any woman in America； I don't care who she is； or how much
money she has。〃
In spite of herself she was absurdly pleased。
〃Now that is over； we won't discuss it again； do you understand？ I've
got you；〃 he said； 〃and I mean to hold on to you。〃
She sighed。 He was driving slowly now along the sandy road； and with his
hand on hers she simply could not think。 The spell of his nearness； of
his touch； which all nature that morning conspired to deepen； was too
powerful to be broken； and something was calling to her； 〃Take this day；
take this day；〃 drowning out the other voice demanding an accounting。
She was livingwhat did it all matter？ She yielded herself to the
witchery of the hour； the sheer delight of forthfaring into the unknown。
They turned away from the river； crossing the hills of a rolling country
now open； now wooded； passing white farmhouses and red barns； and
ancient； weather…beaten dwellings with hipped roofs and 〃lean…tos〃 which
had been there in colonial days when the road was a bridle…path。 Cows
and horses stood gazing at them from warm paddocks； where the rich； black
mud glistened； melted by the sun； chickens scratched and clucked in the
barnyards or flew frantically across the road； sometimes within an ace of
destruction。 Janet flinched； but Ditmar would laugh； gleefully；
boyishly。
〃We nearly got that one！〃 he would exclaim。 And then he had to assure
her that he wouldn't run over them。
〃I haven't run over one yet；have I？〃 he would demand。
〃No； but you will； it's only luck。〃
〃Luck！〃 he cried derisively。 〃