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Mr。 Binkley was the gay boy of the boarding…
house。 He was forty…nine； and owned a fishstall in
a downtown market。 But after six o'clock he wore
an evening suit and whooped things up connected
with the beaux arts。 The young men said he was an
〃Indian。〃 He was supposed to be an accomplished
habitue of the inner circles of Bohemia。 It was no
secret that he had once loaned 10 to a young man
who had had a drawing printed in Puck。 Often has
one thus obtained his entree into the charmed circle；
while the other obtained both his entree and roast。
The other boarders enviously regarded Medora as
she left at Mr。 Binkley's side at nine o'clock。 She
was as sweet as a cluster of dried autumn grasses
in her pale blue oh er that very thin stuff
in her pale blue Comstockized silk waist and box…
pleated voile skirt； with a soft pink glow on her thin
cheeks and the tiniest bit of rouge powder on her
face； with her handkerchief and room key in her
brown walrus； pebble…grain band…bag。
And Mr。 Binkley looked imposing and dashing with
his red face and gray mustache； and his tight dress
coat； that made the back of his neck roll up just
like a successful novelist's。
They drove in a cab to the Cafe Terence； just off
the most glittering part of Broadway； which； as
every one knows； is one of the most popular and
widely patronized； jealously exclusive Bohemian re…
sorts in the city。
Down between the rows of little tables tripped
Medora； of the Green Mountains； after her escort。
Thrice in a lifetime may woman walk upon clouds
once when she trippeth to the altar； once when she
first enters Bohemian halls； the last when she marches
back across her first garden with the dead hen of her
neighbor in her band。
There was a table set； with three or four about it。
A waiter buzzed around it like a bee； and silver and
glass shone upon it。 And； preliminary to the meal；
as the prehistoric granite strata heralded the pro…
tozoa； the bread of Gaul； compounded after the for…
mula of the recipe for the eternal bills； was there set
forth to the hand and tooth of a long…suffering city；
while the gods lay beside their nectar and home…made
biscuits and smiled； and the dentists leaped for joy
in their gold…leafy dens。
The eye of Binkley fixed a young man at his table
with the Bobemian gleam； which is a compound of
the look of the Basilisk； the shine of a bubble of
Wurzburger； the inspiration of genius and the plead…
ing of a panhandler。
The young man sprang to his feet。 〃Hello； Bink；
old boy！ be shouted。 〃Don't tell me you were go…
ing to pass our table。 Join us unless you've an…
other crowd on hand。〃
〃Don't mind； old chap；〃 said Binkley； of the fish…
stall。 〃You know how I like to butt up against the
fine arts。 Mr。 Vandyke Mr。 Madder er
Miss Martin； one of the elect also in art er 〃
The introduction went around。 There were also
Miss Elise and Miss 'Toinette。 Perhaps they were
models； for they chattered of the St。 Regis decora…
tions and Henry James and they did it not badly。
Medora sat in transport。 Music wild； intoxi…
eating music made by troubadours direct from a rear
basement room in Elysium set her thoughts to
dancing。 Here was a world never before penetrated
by her warmest imagination or any of the lines con…
trolled by Harriman。 With the Green Mountains'
external calm upon her she sat； her soul flaming in
her with the fire of Andalusia。 The tables were filled
with Bohemia。 The room was full of the fragrance
of flowers both mille and cauli。 Questions and
corks popped； laughter and silver rang； champagne
flashed in the pail； wit flashed in the pan。
Vandyke ruffled his long； black locks； disarranged
his careless tie and leaned over to Madder。
〃Say； Maddy；〃 he whispered； feelingly； 〃some…
times I'm tempted to pay this Philistine his ten dol…
lars and get rid of him。〃
Madder ruffled his long； sandy locks and disar…
ranged his careless tie。
〃Don't think of it； Vandy；〃 he replied。 〃We are
short； and Art is long。〃
Medora ate strange viands and drank elderberry
wine that they poured in her glass。 It was just the
color of that in the Vermont home。 The waiter
poured something in another glass that seemed to
be boiling； but when she tasted it it was not hot。
She had never felt so light…hearted before。 She
thought lovingly of the Green Mountain farm and its
fauna。 She leaned； smiling； to Miss Elise。
〃If I were at home；〃 she said； beamingly； 〃I
could show you the cutest little calf！ 〃
〃Nothing for you in the White Lane；〃 said Miss
Elise。 〃Why don't you pad？
The orchestra played a wailing waltz that Medora
had learned from the hand…organs。 She followed
the air with nodding head in a sweet soprano hum。
Madder looked across the table at her； and wondered
in what strange waters Binkley had caught her in
his seine。 She smiled at him； and they raised glasses
and drank of the wine that boiled when it was cold。
Binkley had abandoned art and was prating of the
unusual spring catch of shad。 Miss Elise arranged
the palette…and…maul…stick tie pin of Mr。 Vandyke。
A Philistine at some distant table was maundering
volubly either about Jerome or Gerome。 A famous
actress was discoursing excitably about monogrammed
hosiery。 A hose clerk from a department store was
loudly proclaiming his opinions of the drama。 A
writer was abusing Dickens。 A magazine editor and
a photographer were drinking a dry brand at a re…
served table。 A 36…25…42 young lady was saying to
an eminent sculptor： 〃Fudge for your Prax Italys！
Bring one of your Venus Anno Dominis down to
Cohen's and see bow quick she'd be turned down for
a cloak model。 Back to the quarries with your
Greeks and Dagos！〃
Thus went Bohemia。
At eleven Mr。 Binkley took Medora to the board…
ing…bouse and left her； with a society bow； at the foot
of the hall stairs。 She went up to her room and lit
the gas。
And then； as suddenly as the dreadful genie arose
in vapor from the copper vase of the fisherman；
arose in that room the formidable shape of the New
England Conscience。 The terrible thing that
Medora had done was revealed to her in its full
enormity。 She had sat in the presence of the un…
godly and looked upon the wine both when it was red
and effervescent。
At midnight she wrote this letter：
〃Mr。 BERLAH HOSKINS； Harmony； Vermont。
〃Dear Sir： Henceforth； consider me as dead to
you forever。 I have loved you too well to blight your
career by bringing into it my guilty and sin…stained
life。 I have succumbed to the insidious wiles of this
wicked world and have been drawn into the vortex of
Bohemia。 There is scarcely any depth of glittering
iniquity that I have not sounded。 It is hopeless to
combat my decision。 There is no rising from the
depths to which I have sunk。 Endeavor to forget
me。 I am lost