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saw nothing but woods and river； were cold and hungry and wet； and
so tired you couldn't wiggle； until you got to feeling like the
thing was never going to end； and until you got sick of it way
through in spite of the excitement and danger。 And then suppose you
hit town； where there were all the things you hadn't hadand the
first thing you struck was Hell's Half…Mile。 Say！ you've seen water
behind a jam； haven't you？ Water…power's a good thing in a mill
course； where it has wheels to turn； but behind a jam it just RIPS
thingsoh； what's the use talking！ A girl doesn't know what it
means。 She couldn't understand。〃
He broke off with an impatient gesture。 She was looking at him
intently； her lips again half…parted。
〃I think I begin to understand a little；〃 said she softly。 She
smiled to herself。 〃But they are a hard and heartless class in
spite of all their energy and courage； aren't they？〃 she drew him
out。
〃Hard and heartless！〃 exploded Orde。 〃There's no kinder lot of men
on earth； let me tell you。 Why； there isn't a man on that river who
doesn't chip in five or ten dollars when a man is hurt or killed；
and that means three or four days' hard work for him。 And he may
not know or like the injured man at all！ Why〃
〃What's all the excitement？〃 drawled Jane Hubbard behind them。
〃Can't you make it a to…be…continued…in…our…next？ We're 'most
starved。〃
〃Yes…indeed！〃 chimed in the Incubus。
The company trooped out to the dining…room where the table； spread
with all the good things； awaited them。
〃Ernest； you light the candles；〃 drawled Jane； drifting slowly along
the table with her eye on the arrangements； 〃and some of you boys go
get the butter and the milk…pitcher from the ice…box。〃
To Orde's relief； no one threw any bread； although the whole…hearted
fun grew boisterous enough before the close of the meal。 Miss
Bishop sat directly across from him。 He had small chance of
conversation with her in the hubbub that raged； but he gained full
leisure to examine her more closely in the fuller illumination。
Throughout； her note was of fineness。 Her hands； as he had already
noticed； were long； the fingers tapering； her wrists were finely
moulded； but slender； and running without abrupt swelling of muscles
into the long lines of her forearm； her figure was rounded； but
built on the curves of slenderness； her piled； glossy hair was so
fine that though it was full of wonderful soft shadows denied
coarser tresses； its mass hardly did justice to its abundance。 Her
face； again； was long and oval； with a peculiar transparence to the
skin and a peculiar faint； healthy circulation of the blood well
below the surface； which relieved her complexion of pallor； but did
not give her a colour。 The lips； on the contrary； were satin red；
and Orde was mildly surprised； after his recent talk； to find them
sensitively moulded； and with a quaint； child…like quirk at the
corners。 Her eyes were rather contemplative； and so black as to
resemble spots。
In spite of her half…scornful references to 〃bread…throwing；〃 she
joined with evident pleasure in the badinage and more practical fun
which struck the note of the supper。 Only Orde thought to discern
even in her more boisterous movements a graceful； courteous
restraint； to catch in the bend of her head a dainty concession to
the joy of the moment； to hear in the tones of her laughter a
reservation of herself； which nevertheless was not a
t all a
reservation； against the others。
After the meal was finished； each had his candle to blow out； and
then all returned to the parlour； leaving the debris for the later
attention of the 〃hired help。〃
Orde with determination made his way to Miss Bishop's side。 She
smiled at him。
〃You see； I am a hypocrite as well as a mean little snip；〃 said she。
〃I threw a little bread myself。〃
〃Threw bread？〃 repeated Orde。 〃I didn't see you。〃
〃The moon is made of green cheese；〃 she mocked him； 〃and there are
countries where men's heads do grow beneath their shoulders。〃 She
moved gracefully away toward Jane Hubbard。 〃Do you Western
'business men' never deal in figures of speech as well as figures of
the other sort？〃 she wafted back to him over her shoulder。
〃I was very stupid；〃 acknowledged Orde； following her。
She stopped and faced him in the middle of the room； smiling
quizzically。
〃Well？〃 she challenged。
〃Well； what？〃 asked Orde； puzzled。
〃I thought perhaps you wanted to ask me something。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Your following me；〃 she explained； the corners of her mouth
smiling。 〃I had turned away〃
〃I just wanted to talk to you；〃 said Orde。
〃And you always get what you want；〃 she repeated。 〃Well？〃 she
conceded； with a shrug of mock resignation。 But the four other men
here cut in with a demand。
〃Music！〃 they clamoured。 〃We want music！〃
With a nod； Miss Bishop turned to the piano； sweeping aside her
white draperies as she sat。 She struck a few soft chords； and then；
her long hands wandering idly and softly up and down the keys； she
smiled at them over her shoulder。
〃What shall it be？〃 she inquired。
Some one thrust an open song…book on the rack in front of her。 The
others gathered close about； leaning forward to see。
Song followed song； at first quickly； then at longer intervals。 At
last the members of the chorus dropped away one by one to
occupations of their own。 The girl still sat at the piano； her head
thrown back idly； her hands wandering softly in and out of melodies
and modulations。 Watching her； Orde finally saw only the shimmer of
her white figure； and the white outline of her head and throat。 All
the rest of the room was gray from the concentration of his gaze。
At last her hands fell in her lap。 She sat looking straight ahead
of her。
Orde at once arose and came to her。
〃That was a wonderfully quaint and beautiful thing；〃 said he。 〃What
was it？〃
She turned to him； and he saw that the mocking had gone from her
eyes and mouth； leaving them quite simple； like a child's。
〃Did you like it？〃 she asked。
〃Yes；〃 said Orde。 He hesitated and stammered awkwardly。 〃It was so
still and soothing； it made me think of the river sometimes about
dusk。 What was it？〃
〃It wasn't anything。 I was improvising。〃
〃You made it up yourself？〃
〃It was myself； I suppose。 I love to build myself a garden； and
wander on until I lose myself in it。 I'm glad there was a river in
the gardena nice； still； twilight river。〃
She flashed up at him； her head sidewise。
〃There isn't always。〃 She struck a crashing discord on the piano。
Every one looked up at the sudden noise of it。
〃Oh； don't stop！〃 they cried in chorus； as though each had been
listening intently。
The girl laughed up at Orde in amusement。 Somehow