I*J 
 
 i*m 
 
 A BOX OF 
 
 HAMBLEN 
 SEARS
 
 W7.ll b" dv
 
 A Box of Matches 
 
 BY 
 HAMBLEN SEARS 
 
 AUTHOR OF 
 NONE BUT THE BRAVE, ETC. 
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS BY 
 
 WILL GREFE' 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 GROSSET & DUNLAP 
 
 PUBLISHERS
 
 Copyright, 1903, 1904, 
 
 BY 
 
 THE CURTIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 
 
 Copyright, 1904, 
 
 BY 
 DODD, MEAD & COMPANY 
 
 Published September, 1904
 
 TO 
 
 4 
 
 MRS. H. E. M. 
 
 ] Dear Jenny: 
 
 If it had not been for your ideas this history 
 of the scheming of a certain young married woman, 
 whose real name shall never be disclosed, would 
 not have been perpetrated. It is therefore your 
 fault not mine that the public is burdened with 
 the story. You are, I regret to say, entirely re- 
 sponsible. Therefore, the least you can do is to 
 allow me, first, to inscribe the following pages and 
 what they contain to your fair self, and second, 
 to inscribe myself, as always, 
 
 Yours sincerely, 
 
 J. H. S. 
 August 1, 1904. 
 
 43138017

 
 A Box of Matches 
 
 THE little two-wheeled cart pulled up at the 
 Braveurs', just across a couple of lawns from the 
 Naugatuck Club, and out jumped Mrs. Braveur, 
 so preoccupied that she forgot to give Snap, the 
 pony, his lump of sugar. 
 
 In the hall she found a letter, and without stop- 
 ping to take off her gloves or even to sit down, she 
 opened it. Immediately consternation appeared 
 on her face. Then she sank down on a chair, the 
 letter lying in her lap. 
 
 "Goodness gracious!" said she aloud. "Good- 
 ness me ! " 
 
 The door from the veranda opened and pell- 
 mell over one another came the children Lucy, 
 Dick, and h'ttle Mabel, eight, six, and two respect- 
 ively. There was a rush for mother and all began 
 talking at once. It was a nice little family. 
 Tiny Mabel with white dress and poke bonnet all 
 covered with rosebuds; Mrs. Braveur, apparently
 
 not six years older than her first-born, also in 
 white with rosebuds; rosebuds on the furniture; 
 rosebuds on the white curtains ; rosebuds real 
 ones, in vases a sort of rosebud family, all 
 white and clean and wholesome. 
 
 But these were stern times. 
 
 "Mabel, sweetheart, run to nurse now, and you 
 boys, too. Mother's terribly busy come, run 
 along quick! See who goes first!" And as 
 more wheels sounded outside she fell to saying, 
 "Goodness me! What shall I do! What shall 
 I do!" 
 
 In walked the person who was responsible for 
 Lucy and children and rosebuds and all. 
 
 "Oh, Jim!" cried the little lady. " What 
 shall I do?" 
 
 "What! where?" said he, somewhat startled. 
 
 " Ethel is coming to-night ! " and she subsided 
 into the chair again. 
 
 "Well, you asked her, didn't you?" 
 
 " Of course, but it was for next week ! " 
 
 "What's the difference? She'll see the polo 
 now." 
 
 " But George Winthrop is coming to stay 
 10
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 with us while the rest of the team goes to the 
 club." 
 
 "Well, well, there are two rooms in the house, 
 aren't there?" 
 
 "Don't be vulgar, dear! Perhaps you don't 
 know that Ethel and George scarcely speak now ! " 
 
 "Good Lord! I thought you had 'em married 
 a few weeks ago." 
 
 "I know, but something nobody knows what 
 has happened, and instead of being engaged 
 to him she won't even recognise him." 
 
 " This '11 be a good time to make up." 
 
 " You're such an idiot, Jim. Think of it ! 
 
 Think of it ! Both of them in the same house 
 
 Oh, Annette, please get me some tea, I'm I'm 
 nearly crazy over this." 
 
 " Come," said Jim ; " have tea in your room 
 and faint up there without mussing the house." 
 
 From across the lawn, up the veranda and into 
 the house walked a smooth-faced, light-haired 
 young giant. He put down his bag and looked 
 around. Nobody seemed to be about. He tried 
 the drawing-room ; then the billiard-room. Wheels 
 sounded again on the drive. He moved back into 
 
 II
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 the hall and came face to face with a girl of the 
 age the gods and some mortals love. 
 
 Their eyes met. 
 
 "You! here?" 
 
 " Seems like it." 
 
 "You knew I was coming!" 
 
 " I never even suspected it." 
 
 "You might have known it!" 
 
 "I suppose so, but I didn't get your letter." 
 
 "My letter! I never wrote you a letter." 
 
 "Then how should I know?" 
 
 " Will you go away, sir, or shall I ? " 
 
 "I can't!" 
 
 "Then I will." And the big hat and veil and 
 the pretty silken gown swept up the stairway 
 escorting an iceberg to Lucy Braveur's room. 
 
 12
 
 n 
 
 BRA\ r EUR fled from the room as soon as he heard 
 the rustle of an approaching gown. 
 
 " I'm so delighted, Ethel, dear," said Lucy, as 
 she kissed the iceberg, trying to gain time by 
 talking fast. "You've come just in time - " 
 
 "I should think I had -- " 
 
 " To to see the polo to-morrow. Jim's men, 
 the Naugatucks, are going to play the Beltmoor 
 team I only got your note - " 
 
 "Lucy Braveur, do you know who is downstairs 
 this minute?" 
 
 "No," surprised. "Who?" 
 
 " George Winthrop." 
 
 " Oh, yes ! he's coming he's one of the Belt- 
 moor team he's staying here with us over Sun- 
 day he's - " 
 
 "He's a brute, Lucy! he's he isn't isn't 
 nice. He isn't a gentleman." 
 
 "Don't cry, dear; tell me - " 
 13
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Cry ? I wouldn't think of crying." Though 
 the veil got up over the big hat with the aid of 
 trembling fingers, disclosing pretty lips that were 
 set hard together and a little chin that quivered 
 never so little. 
 
 Then Lucy came to herself. She moved over 
 and put her arms around the girl's neck. 
 
 "Tell me all about it, dear." And the iceberg 
 melted on her shoulder. " Tell me all about it." 
 
 From the shoulder came a sob. " I can't ! I 
 can't!" 
 
 A door creaked and Lucy, turning softly, saw 
 the somewhat scared countenance of her Jim. 
 She made a terrible grimace and the door creaked 
 the second time. All was still again. The ice- 
 berg continued to melt. 
 
 "What is the trouble?" 
 
 "He took an I saw him at a Oh! I can't! 
 
 I can't! It's so vulgar! Lucy " And she 
 
 straightened up with the big hat ridiculously awry. 
 " Lucy, I won't stay I must " 
 
 "You can't get out of it now." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "He'll see you run." 
 
 14
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " If he had any decency he'd run himself." 
 
 " But he can't, child ! Listen. The Altons and 
 the Eatons and two or three others are coming to 
 dine to-night. There'll be a dozen. You needn't 
 see him at all, and to-morrow he'll be away all 
 day." 
 
 "I can't! I can't!" 
 
 " Stay and and j ust shame him for doing 
 what what he did though I don't know what 
 he did." 
 
 " It was dreadful ! " 
 
 " Of course it was. But it only makes it worse 
 to run away." 
 
 A sudden lowering of temperature and conse- 
 quent cessation of melting iceberg. The pretty 
 face with its crooked hat became firm again. 
 There was a glint in the brown eyes. 
 
 " I'll do it. You'll see ! Just wait." And she 
 fled to her room, unpacked her trunk in feverish 
 haste, and spent two hours putting on her best 
 gown and making herself as bewitching as ever 
 was fair young womanhood before.
 
 in 
 
 AS the people came down to dinner Jim Braveur 
 looked at Ethel an instant and then turned to 
 his wife. 
 
 " Look out for sparks, Lu," said he. " There's 
 going to be a row." 
 
 "Why, what?" whispered Lucy. 
 
 " Look at Ethel Aspinwall's face." 
 
 "There can't be any trouble. She's on the 
 other side of the table." 
 
 "All right; but mark my words, she'll squelch 
 him." 
 
 "Jim, dear, if you could only avoid language 
 you'd be a nice man." 
 
 For the first half -hour everybody talked and 
 Lucy began to breathe easier. Jim, with the 
 basis of a good dinner in him, felt pretty well and 
 forgot the whole business in hand. Then, be- 
 ginning to realise that it was about time to send 
 the conversation from one side of the table to the 
 
 16
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 other, he caught a remark of Miss Aspinwall on 
 the double life of men that seemed to offer the 
 desired opportunity. 
 
 Then out spoke Jimmy the blunderer. 
 
 "Oh, come now, Ethel." And of course every- 
 body listened. "A man is a peculiar being and 
 sometimes he does do things that wouldn't ap- 
 pear well in print, but they have no harm in 
 them." 
 
 Ethel straightened. Lucy looked scared. 
 Winthrop began to eat fast. 
 
 " There is no excuse," said Miss Aspinwall in 
 clear tones, " for a man being common." 
 
 "Whew! What do you call common?" 
 
 Ethel's brown eyes glistened. 
 
 " Is it necessary to go into details ?" she asked 
 coldly. 
 
 "Such as?" asked Jim, while Lucy tried in 
 vain to get a signal to him. 
 
 " Suppose Lucy, for instance, happened to go 
 into a restaurant and discover you dining with 
 with an an actress ! " 
 
 "Heavens!" cried Jim, trying with indifferent 
 success to suppress a smile. 
 
 17
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "How dreadful!" said Lucy in a low tone. 
 
 "Incredible!" said Bert Alton with a sancti- 
 monious expression. 
 
 "Oh!" said Mrs. Alton and Mrs. Eaton in 
 unison. 
 
 " In a public restaurant ! " continued Ethel 
 with a pink spot on either cheek. 
 
 " It would be all right in a private dining-room, 
 I suppose?" 
 
 " Jim, dear ! " murmured Lucy. 
 
 "You know, Jim Braveur, that wherever it 
 happens it is just a sign of of something 
 awful!" 
 
 "Horrible," said Jim. "Isn't it, George?" 
 
 " Not particularly," said George coolly. " I 
 like dining with actresses." 
 
 "Why, George Winthrop!" cried Lucy, now 
 thoroughly aroused. 
 
 " But then, George isn't married." 
 
 "But he was that is, he might I mean he 
 may be some time," gasped Lucy. She could ha 
 bitten off her tongue. 
 
 "George," said Jim, "give us more details. 
 
 Are they nice girls these " 
 
 18
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Jim, aren't you ashamed," from the other end 
 of the table. 
 
 " Let's take a hypothetical case, said 
 George, looking at Jim in an argumentative 
 way. 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 "You're unmarried, do you see?" 
 
 " He isn't ! " cried Lucy. 
 
 Everybody laughed. 
 
 " Impossible, George," said Jim. " Pm in the 
 bosom of my family." 
 
 " Marriage has nothing to do with it," cried a 
 fair girl across the table, carefully addressing 
 Braveur. 
 
 "Well, suppose you're unmarried, anyway," 
 began George again. 
 
 "Lucy, do you mind my being unmarried for 
 a minute? " 
 
 "I don't think you're very nice," said Lucy, 
 still making signals. 
 
 " George," said Jim, " take somebody else. I'm 
 not nice." 
 
 "I don't mean you, goose, I mean " 
 
 "Marriage?" 
 
 19
 
 A BOX OF, MATCHES 
 
 "Of course not. I mean I mean er 
 actresses and things ! " 
 
 " George," said Jim solemnly, " leave out the 
 things, anyway. Actresses are bad enough, 
 Heaven knows ! " 
 
 "Well, suppose " 
 
 " Suppose er say John Brown my friend 
 John Brown unmarried " 
 
 "Could he be engaged?" asked the innocent 
 host. 
 
 " Shut up, Jim ! Brown has a friend Smith 
 
 whose sister is an actress she plays here in 
 New York is well known always lively and 
 pretty- -" 
 
 " Careful of details, George," advised Jim. 
 
 " At home there is only herself and Smith. 
 
 Smith drinks. Sister pays the bills Miss 
 
 Aspinwall began to move a little in her chair and 
 
 did she sniff? "Smith drinks and wastes the 
 money. Then Smith dies." 
 
 " How dreadful," whispered tender-hearted 
 Lucy, stealing a melting look at the iceberg that 
 got frozen in transit. 
 
 "Right on top Miss Miss er Smith loses 
 20
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 her job taking care of the skunk Smith 
 money all gone brother dead job lost fol- 
 lowed by melancholy and depression." 
 
 Everybody leaned forward, for there was some- 
 thing in Winthrop's face that gave spice to the 
 Brown-Smith supposition. There might be tears 
 in Mrs. Braveur's eyes, for Lucy was as tender as 
 a child. Somebody else got interested in spite 
 of herself. 
 
 " Melancholy and depression," prompted Jim. 
 
 "Just then my friend Brown comes along and 
 discovers the situation " 
 
 "And gives the girl a new start? Money and 
 so on? Good for him!" 
 
 " Not at all ! Say there isn't any too much 
 grub in the larder. Say he just thinks he'll give 
 her a good fat meal and brace her up and 
 and you know." George smiled stupidly. 
 
 " George, you're a brick," said Jim. 
 
 "Rot," said that gentleman. "You asked me 
 if a man might dine with an actress. I say yes, 
 and give you a hypothetical case. That's all. I 
 wouldn't mention such a thing, except that i 
 that- -" 
 
 21
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 *' Except what ? " asked Jim, smiling. 
 " Nothing," said George. 
 
 There was an instant of silence and was that 
 another sniff? 
 
 22
 
 IV 
 
 IN the morning Wmthrop, being more or less 
 bothered in his mind, woke early, dressed, and 
 went downstairs. The Braveurs breakfasted in 
 the movable feast fashion of Englishmen with all 
 the things on a hot tin pan on the buffet. He 
 went in and found Miss Aspinwall seated alone 
 at the table. 
 
 " Good-morning," said he. 
 
 " Good-morning." 
 
 Silence. He hesitated. 
 
 " Shall I leave you alone?" 
 
 No answer for a moment. Then: 
 
 " I usually breakfast alone." 
 
 He turned to the door. 
 
 "But -- " 
 
 He came back toward the table. 
 
 "Even if I were inconvenienced** 
 
 He turned toward the door. 
 
 " I've finished nearly." 
 
 23
 
 He pivoted again, went over to the tin pan and 
 helped himself. Then he sat down opposite her. 
 
 Silence for a while again. 
 
 She looked straight at him, collected, clear-eyed, 
 and prettier than any woman has a right to be in 
 the morning. 
 
 "About that actress," he blurted out abruptly 
 " what I said last night " 
 
 "Was enough; there is nothing more to be 
 said." 
 
 "Nothing except that a gentlewoman would be 
 expected to examine a case before judging so 
 harshly." 
 
 " I know what I saw that night I heard your 
 own ridiculous explanation last night." 
 
 "Then, as you say, there's nothing more to be 
 said." 
 
 " I think there is." 
 
 " But you said there wasn't." 
 
 "I said I said - 
 
 "Furthermore, I made no explanation last 
 night, and in all politeness I don't propose to." 
 
 " I'm not your judge. I I am not I " 
 
 "Will you have some peaches?" 
 24
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "No." 
 
 Nevertheless he brought some around to her side 
 of the table, drew up the next chair and sat down. 
 
 " You'd better. I think they're good." 
 
 " How ridiculous ! Do you suppose they'd give 
 us bad fruit ? " 
 
 "Anything might turn suddenly bad this 
 morning." 
 
 She looked hard at her plate. 
 
 " Ethel ! Won't you be fair and give me a 
 
 Hang it ! What a time of day for such talk," 
 and he got up and strode across the room. 
 
 Suddenly she began to laugh excitedly. He 
 looked at her in wonder, and saw her put her 
 handkerchief to her eyes and sob and sob. He 
 ran to her and took her hands from her face. 
 
 " St ! " he whispered. " Here's some idiot." 
 And in walked Lucy and Jim. 
 
 "Good-morning," said the latter, and then 
 before anyone knew more the screen door to the 
 veranda opened and in rushed little Jimmy burst- 
 ing with news. 
 
 "Oh, mother, I saw him holding her ha " 
 
 " Shut up, you ! " roared his father. Winthrop 
 25
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 set his teeth and made a grab at the boy. Over 
 Ethel's face ran a bright glow that spread to her 
 hair and neck as she sat looking at her plate. 
 
 "Lucy," cried her spouse, "for Heaven's sake, 
 hasn't that kid got some lessons this morning ? " 
 
 " Yes, dear, but he must have his breakfast." 
 
 "Well, then, get Annette to stuff an omelet 
 down his throat and keep him quiet." 
 
 "Oh, Jim!" And Lucy put her arm around 
 her son, who felt somehow that his great news had 
 miscarried. 
 
 Winthrop got up and walked out. The other 
 three ate in silence for a moment and then Braveur 
 caught a sign that he knew and, mumbling some- 
 thing, hurried out of the room. 
 
 On the veranda he accosted the moody Win- 
 throp. 
 
 "Finished your breakfast?" 
 
 "Didn't begin." 
 
 " Nor I. It strikes me a man might have peace 
 and quiet at least at breakfast. Let's go over 
 to the club and get something solid." 
 
 26
 
 THE match between Winthrop's Beltmoor team 
 and the Naugatuck men was on. The first period 
 was just over. On the grand-stand at one side of 
 the field sat those who lived near by, and on either 
 side drags, brakes, motor cars, carts, and all kinds 
 of vehicles were filled with people. The grand- 
 stand itself made a brave little show of fair girls 
 and young wives who gossiped outrageously while 
 they watched their husbands and brothers tear up 
 and down the field. Little Mrs. Braveur kept her 
 eyes on her Jim every minute, as she always did 
 when he played polo, with a kind of sickening 
 dread of what might happen. But she talked and 
 laughed and gossiped with the rest. Ethel Aspin- 
 wall sat perfectly still, apparently cool and col- 
 lected as usual. 
 
 Down came the two teams running hard along 
 the boards after a good stroke. Jim Braveur 
 rode his man off and Alton made a prodigious drive 
 27
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 under full speed straight for the goal, following 
 it up for a score. 
 
 " Wasn't that wonderful of Ben ! " cried Mrs. 
 Alton. 
 
 "Yes, splendid," said Lucy with tempered en- 
 thusiasm. " Of course Jim rode off his man and 
 made it possible." 
 
 " But Freddie Peters isn't up to his game at 
 all, is he?" 
 
 "No, he's playing dreadfully," agreed Lucy. 
 Mrs. Peters was out of hearing at the other end 
 of the stand. 
 
 "You like it, Ethel?" asked Lucy in a hostess- 
 sort of voice. 
 
 "Yes," said Miss Aspinwall, her eyes fixed on 
 the field where play had begun again. 
 
 "Mr. Winthrop plays beautifully," whispered 
 Lucy. " But I do hope his lead will be cut down. 
 I'm just mean enough to be glad they haven't so 
 many ponies as our men, and so, of course, they 
 won't do so well in the last period." 
 
 So the play went on until there came a cross- 
 stroke and three men on each team made toward 
 the grand-stand for the ball. They came on with 
 
 28
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 prodigious speed, Braveur and Winthrop in the 
 lead, one trying to ride the other off when 
 something happened and Winthrop's pony fell 
 and rolled over him. 
 
 There was an instant of stunned silence, and 
 then a growing murmur of exclamations and 
 cries. 
 
 "What did it?" "Who was it?" "It's Mr. 
 Winthrop!" "Is he dead?" "He doesn't 
 move!" Winthrop lay on his back on the turf 
 with Braveur kneeling by him, his pony galloping 
 across the field, and people running out to the 
 ever-increasing circle from all points. On the 
 stand everybody was talking and asking ques- 
 tions. 
 
 One girl only sat perfectly still, without the least 
 colour in her face or lips, gazing with wide eyes 
 down into the crowded circle. Lucy gave a tender 
 little thanks in her heart that it had not been some- 
 one else and then turned to her friend. 
 
 "Ethel! Ethel darling!" she whispered, 
 " don't look so ! Perhaps he's only stunned. 
 Ethel!" 
 
 " I must go down to him," whispered the young 
 29
 
 girl in an emotionless voice, "I must go down to 
 him!" 
 
 "No, no, dear! Not here! Sit still. You 
 couldn't go down there. Jim's there he'll do all 
 that can be done!" And she forced her back 
 into her seat. 
 
 They had lifted Winthrop and carried him to 
 a trap, and the next moment Braveur came hur- 
 riedly to them, not stopping to answer the hundred 
 questions put to him. 
 
 " Lucy," he said, " go home quick. Alton's 
 man will take you. Get George's room readv at 
 once." 
 
 " Is it bad, Jim ? " she asked. 
 
 "I don't know. Blanchard is there and says 
 he can't tell. He's unconscious pony rolled on 
 to him." Then he caught a strange light in his 
 wife's eyes and suddenly turned and saw Ethel's 
 face. " Oh, he's all right," he continued in a dif- 
 ferent tone. "He's just stunned. We'll have 
 him right as a trivet at home." 
 
 " I am going over there to him," said Ethel in 
 that same monotonous tone. 
 
 " Not a bit of it ! " cried Braveur. " You can't 
 30
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 here! Don't worry. He'll live to kick yet. Get 
 home, Lucy, right away," he added and was 
 gone. 
 
 But there was some delay, and when they did 
 reach home Winthrop was in his room with Dr. 
 Blanchard. Then came a struggle. The ener- 
 getic Miss Aspinwall insisted on going in ; Braveur 
 insisted otherwise, and finally Lucy decided in the 
 girl's favour. 
 
 "You let her go in, Jim. Mind me. I know. 
 She'll collapse if you don't. She frightens me now, 
 she's so calni. It's dreadful!" And in she went. 
 The man lay on his bed moving slowly but con- 
 stantly from side to side, quite unconscious, Blanch- 
 ard working over him. The Doctor turned as the 
 three came in and said brusquely: 
 
 "Get out of here, all of you!" But Ethel 
 stayed and began quietly picking up Winthrop's 
 clothes, folding them and putting them on a chair. 
 In a moment Blanchard said: 
 
 " Get me some hot water and a sponge." 
 
 She had them in a moment. 
 
 And so they worked on for an hour the man 
 intent on his work, the frightened girl in her white 
 
 31
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 lace gown and big hat with never a word, but 
 now and then a sharp order from the Doctor. 
 
 Then Winthrop opened his eyes and they 
 cleared. 
 
 "Can you understand?" asked Blanchard 
 quickly. 
 
 Winthrop nodded. Ethel stood stock still. 
 
 "Where is it?" 
 
 There was an unintelligible sound. 
 
 "What?" asked Blanchard sharply. 
 
 "He said 'back,'" whispered Ethel. 
 
 "Can you move your legs?" 
 
 The coverlet moved slightly. 
 
 "Good," said Blanchard, and then began more 
 orders that required Braveur and his wife, and 
 they all worked until a nurse arrived from town, 
 when Ethel was taken away by force. 
 
 At nine o'clock the Doctor came downstairs and 
 said that it was a bad strain of the back, but that 
 so far as he could see nothing was broken and the 
 spine was all right. " But it's a damnable game, 
 Braveur, and you ought all to be hanged for 
 playing it. It's only chance that the life 
 wasn't squashed out of him. Now, my child, 
 
 32
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 you're a good 'un! But you go straight to 
 bed." 
 
 "I don't need " 
 
 " Don't you dare express an opinion ! Drink 
 that there! Mrs. Braveur, if you don't take 
 that girl's clothes off and put her to bed at once, 
 I will. And then there'll be a scandal in the 
 Naugatuck colony, for sure!"
 
 VI 
 
 "ETHEL," said Lucy at sunset, two days, later. 
 " George asked me if you were still here." 
 
 "Did he?" asked that young lady. 
 
 "Yes, he did. Don't you think you might go 
 in and see him once?" 
 
 "I hadn't thought so- -" 
 
 " I I don't believe he quite understands your 
 being in the room the other day and not going 
 near him since." 
 
 "Well, I can't be responsible - " 
 
 Then up rose the good woman in Lucy's soul, 
 and wrath blazed from her blue eyes. 
 
 " Ethel Aspinwall," said she, " you ought to be 
 ashamed of yourself ashamed of yourself! What 
 do you mean by letting him see you there when he 
 came to, and then not going near him again ? It's 
 outrageous ! Go up to his room this minute and 
 be a real woman for once ! " 
 
 "Do you mean now?"
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Instantly." 
 
 She went. At the door she hesitated, and then 
 knocked. 
 
 " Come in," said a voice that made her catch 
 her breath. 
 
 Slowly she opened it; slowly she went in. 
 
 " Halloa," said the sick voice with an attempt 
 at cheeriness, "come in and jolly the wreck." 
 
 "How do you feel?" asked Ethel coldly. 
 
 " I can't feel at all. I can't even shake hands, 
 but I'll be all right again yet." 
 
 She stood by his bed. 
 
 "Can I do anything for you?" 
 
 "Yes," said he. 
 
 "What is it?" 
 
 " Draw up that chair there where I can see you, 
 and talk to me." 
 
 The chair was brought, and this strange crea- 
 ture in the soft, clinging gown sat down close by 
 the bed. 
 
 " I'm glad so glad you're better." 
 
 "Bad spill, wasn't it?" 
 
 " It was horrible ! horrible ! " whispered Ethel, 
 her hand going to her face with a pathetic gesture. 
 
 35
 
 - A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Well, the only horrible thing now is that I've 
 got to bother Jim and his wife for a while and 
 you, too " 
 
 "Don't! Don't!" 
 
 "I'm sorry. I seem to succeed in bothering 
 you a great deal lately ! " 
 
 " Please, please don't ! " 
 
 " Never mind. It's a fine sunset, isn't it ? " 
 
 She got up and walked to the window. 
 
 "You're not going away?" he called with ab- 
 surd plaintiveness. 
 
 There was a moment's hesitation. Then, still 
 looking from the window, she said slowly : 
 
 "I want I'd like to say something to you. 
 Will you listen?" 
 
 " All night." 
 
 "Then I if I were a man I'd dine with any 
 actress I pleased!" 
 
 "Ethel!" 
 
 The figure by the window moved slightly. 
 
 " Ethel, come here ! " 
 
 She moved as if against her will, but in a 
 moment she was sitting in a low chair by the 
 bed. 
 
 36
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Ethel, look at me! Please! I can't move a 
 finger." 
 
 Instantly she turned to him and he saw the 
 brown eyes glistening in the fading light. 
 
 " Let me tell you the whole story " 
 
 "No, no, I don't want ever to hear. I'm 
 ashamed and so sorry so sorry!" 
 
 " I've done worse things " 
 
 "I don't care, if you only lo Oh, what 
 
 am I saying?" 
 
 " Sit down again. Say it ! Say it ! " 
 
 "I won't!" 
 
 " Ethel." 
 
 "Yes?" 
 
 " Will you do something for me ? " 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Sure?" 
 
 "Pretty sure," doubtfully. 
 
 " Just lean over and kiss me." 
 
 " Oh ! " and she sat bolt upright. 
 
 "If you don't I'll get up, and then I'll I'll 
 be dead!" 
 
 "Don't you move!" she cried as she put her 
 hand on the coverlet. 
 
 37
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Will you?" 
 
 "No, I won't!" 
 
 " All right ; look out ! " 
 
 "Stop! I I- -" And she leaned ten- 
 derly over the bruised body and put her lips softly 
 to his. 
 
 " Oh ! " murmured the man. " To think that I 
 
 can't even move a finger Ethel," for she 
 
 had started up to the window again. 
 
 " Yes ? " faintly, yet she came back to the chair. 
 
 " Will you do something else for me ? " 
 
 "No, I won't. What is it?" 
 
 " Do that once more please ! " 
 
 With a faint little sound that would have been 
 a laugh if it had not been so pathetic, she leaned 
 over him again and put her fair cheek against his 
 and her arm around his head. And so they lay for 
 a moment, the giant done up in bandages, the 
 young girl full of the health"Hhd grace of woman- 
 hood. 
 
 "Do you mind taking me all smashed up like 
 this?" 
 
 "Not a bit." 
 
 "Maybe I haven't got many legs and arms." 
 38
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " I don't care." 
 
 " Perhaps you'll have to push me around in a 
 go-cart." 
 
 " I'd love to." 
 
 "You wouldn't rather have somebody else?" 
 
 No, dear." 
 
 " And you don't mind the the actress ? " 
 
 "No, no I I was " 
 
 "What?" 
 
 She turned her face against the pillow and 
 whispered : 
 
 " Jealous ! " 
 
 "Thank God!" 
 
 And so they remained as the day died away, 
 neither moving nor saying a word, the fair brown 
 head against the yellow one with no care for the 
 future, simply with peace and happiness in the 
 present. 
 
 39
 
 VII 
 
 "I GUESS George is coming out all right," said 
 Braveur to his wife a couple of days later. 
 
 " I guess, sir, that you know very little about 
 it." 
 
 "What's up?" 
 
 "Matrimonial stock, Mr. Braveur," said the 
 lady. 
 
 " You don't mean to say - " 
 
 "I do." 
 
 "Upon my word, Lu, you are a matchmaker, 
 for sure. And so they've patched it up?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "And the actress?" 
 
 "Sh h!" whispered Lucy. "Don't you dar* 
 to ever mention that awful creature again!" 
 
 "Why? Isn't Ethel on?" 
 
 " I don't know whether she is on or off, but I do 
 know that you very nearly spoiled the whole thing 
 at dinner, making fun of them." 
 
 40
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "I believe my making a joke of it saved the 
 day 
 
 " You ! " 
 
 "Yes. I suppose you think you did it all," 
 and he laughed down at her. 
 
 " I not only think it, but I know it ! " 
 
 " And as a matter of fact we didn't either of us 
 have anything to do with it." 
 
 "What did then, if you please?" 
 
 "The polo pony that fell on him," and he 
 chuckled audibly. 
 
 She hesitated a moment and then laughed 
 too. 
 
 "Perhaps he did hurry it up, but really, to be 
 honest, the pony didn't half do it." 
 
 " Ah, you claim the honour still ? " 
 
 " No. She was going to marry him anyway 
 actress or no actress pony or no pony." 
 
 "Probably." 
 
 "Jim, I've got an idea." 
 
 " Anybody else to marry ? " 
 
 " Oh, no. But it's so much more fun here than 
 in New York, that I'm going to keep the house 
 half open and come down here this winter with 
 41
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 some people for Saturdays and Sundays. Do 
 you think we can?" 
 
 " That really is an idea, Lucy ! We'll do it." 
 And they did; for when January opened won- 
 derfully, cold and clear, good skating and 
 sleighing, the idea took form and Lucy carried it 
 out with her usual businesslike promptness. The 
 people were well chosen. Hence the success of the 
 idea. To have a good idea and carry it out suc- 
 cessfully that is the best thing in the world. 
 Therefore, as his wife originated the idea, and as 
 she carried it out successfully by getting a dozen 
 congenial people together, Jim Braveur decided 
 again that she was the best thing in the world.
 
 VIII 
 
 MOST of the guests gathered at dinner one Fri- 
 day night. Saturday morning breakfast was a 
 movable feast many empty places with little 
 piles of letters by each place. 
 
 " I hate breakfasts," said Winthrop politely to 
 his hostess, who was making new coffee for him. 
 
 "This particular one?" 
 
 " No, generically." 
 
 " Why ? " testing the sputtering coffee machine. 
 
 " It's merely a coaling up for the day. You 
 can't talk till it's over - " 
 
 " You needn't talk to me." 
 
 " Oh, of course, like all women, you take an ab- 
 stract statement as a personality." 
 
 " Where is your wife? " 
 
 " Still snoring, I expect." 
 
 " George ! What a dreadful thing to say ! 
 Good-morning, Helen ! " as a white lacy morn- 
 ing gown all little ends and hanging pieces, topped 
 43
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 by a rather sleepy but altogether charming head 
 came in and sat down near her. " I'm so glad 
 you've come. George has been insulting me." 
 
 "There! there! that's it. I merely said I was 
 never in a presentable frame of mind at breakfast, 
 and she says I'm insulting." 
 
 " I must say, dear," said Miss Gardner, " I'm a 
 little little somnolent myself," and she began to 
 open her letters. The coffee machine did all the 
 talking for a moment and then Mrs. Braveur 
 looked up at the sudden crushing of paper on her 
 left. She saw something appear and disappear 
 on the girl's face and then said : 
 
 " Come, George, you've finished. Go and 
 smoke. I want to talk to Helen." 
 
 He got up meekly and went into the library. 
 
 "What is it, dear?" 
 
 "Lucy, you've asked Ned Endicott to come." 
 
 "Are you disappointed?" slily. 
 
 "Oh, no. Only I didn't know that is, I 
 didn't expect him." 
 
 "Do you young people correspond?" 
 
 " Sometimes. I've known him so long, you 
 know." 
 
 44
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Don't apologise, you deceiver. I suppose 
 you've known him almost a year." 
 
 " Goodness, nearly two ! " 
 
 " And what does mother say ? " 
 
 " About what ? " evasively. 
 
 " About the correspondence." 
 
 "Mother mother hasn't been consulted." 
 
 " Helen ! " 
 
 "Are you going to play mother? If you 
 are " 
 
 " No, but I'm your chaperon. I think I'd bet- 
 ter read the letter." 
 
 " Certainty," handing it over. 
 
 "No, no, dear; I'm only joking." 
 
 "Wait, I'll read it " 
 
 "Tell me about him instead." 
 
 "Well, he's big and nice, and and I met him 
 in New York a year ago this winter." 
 
 "Rich?" 
 
 " I don't know. He's very ambitious. He's 
 going to do a great deal in in railroads " 
 
 " Oh, you and he discuss his prospects ? " 
 
 "Yes," hesitatingly; "that is, I've talked with 
 
 him, you know, about " 
 
 45
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Himself?" 
 
 "Well, why not?" looking up at her guiltily. 
 
 " Nothing could be more interesting, I should 
 gather," and Lucy smiled somewhat quizzically 
 and altogether kindly upon her fair guest. " Tell 
 me some more." 
 
 "You'll laugh." 
 
 " Not for worlds." 
 
 "Well, we've talked now and then " 
 
 " Just to use up the time, I suppose " 
 
 "Lucy Braveur, I won't tell you a word unless 
 you stop laughing!" The sleepiness was all gone 
 and the bright look in the girl's eyes, the quick- 
 ened rise and fall of the lace at her throat told so 
 much so much to the other girl, hardly older 
 than herself, who had poured the coffee for some- 
 one else each morning for several years now. 
 
 " Dear heart, tell me all about it," said she, 
 taking the girl's hand in hers and moving her 
 chair nearer. " That's this is why I asked 
 him." 
 
 There came a little nervous laugh and a flush 
 on the girl's face as she hesitated. 
 
 " Why, there's nothing to tell except " 
 46
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 and gradually she spoke faster and less self-con- 
 sciously " except that he has such splendid ideas 
 about running railroads, and the men, and 
 Lucy, he could work with the men so that there'd 
 never be a strike." 
 
 " Goodness me ! " exclaimed Lucy, raising her 
 eyebrows in affected wonder. " All that ? " 
 
 "Yes," said the girl, too much interested to 
 watch closely, " and if he can only put some things 
 through, they'll see they'll see, those people, 
 what Lucy, you said you wouldn't " 
 
 " I'm not laughing, child ! Tell me, do you 
 never talk of anything but but railroads?" 
 
 " Oh, yes, sometimes. He has very peculiar 
 ideas about money." 
 
 "Wouldn't marry for money, for instance?" 
 
 " Not by any means." 
 
 " Of course not ; but I suppose a certain papa 
 could be persuaded to leave his money to an asylum 
 for other lunatics ? " 
 
 " Papa has nothing to do with it ! " sniffed the 
 railroad student. 
 
 " Apparently not," mused Lucy. " I " 
 
 " There's nothing personal in the talk. He is 
 47
 
 bound to make his own way. He's going into 
 politics when when " 
 
 "When he's settled the railroad question?" 
 
 "How silly, Lucy when he's studied men 
 more." 
 
 "Apparently he's been studying women pretty 
 closely." 
 
 "You goose! He's perfectly sincere and so 
 so sensible " 
 
 "And the letter is it about railroads or 
 politics ? " 
 
 The letter was suddenly held tightly in the 
 girl's right hand. 
 
 " Oh, well, not all." And away went the bright 
 colour racing over cheeks and brow the colour 
 that never yet failed to make woman's face 
 wonderful. 
 
 " Tell me about it, Helen dear," said her friend, 
 putting her arms around the girl and turning up 
 the chin that had drooped a little. 
 
 " I can't ! " she murmured. 
 
 "Yes you can. I'll never tell and I'd I'd 
 love so to hear." 
 
 "Why why read the letter." And the 
 48
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 crumpled bit of paper was thrust into her hands. 
 Lucy opened it and read: 
 
 I've got something to tell you something important. 
 And Mrs. Braveur God bless her! has given me the 
 chance by asking me down for the week. I'll get into 
 Naugatuck at 4:16 and come right to the house. I want to 
 see you alone and tell you. You'll understand. I've got 
 to tell you now. I can't wait. Will you be interested to 
 hear? 
 
 "Helen, darling! I'm so glad so glad!" 
 And she put her arms around the girl and kissed 
 her. 
 
 " Gee, my turn next ! " cried a hearty voice. 
 
 " Jim, go away ! " cried his wife. 
 
 " But I've got to have some breakfast." 
 
 "Go away this " 
 
 "Lucy, dear," said Helen, coming to herself, 
 " the poor man must eat, and after all it's his 
 breakfast." Braveur meantime calmly sat down 
 at the head of the table. 
 
 "What's up?" he asked blandly. 
 
 " You are, at last," said his wife. 
 
 "I believe I did doze off a little," he acknowl- 
 edged. 
 
 49
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " A little! Do you know it's after ten now? " 
 
 "And from my reception by you two I gather 
 I got up too early at that. Still, I'm glad to see 
 you, you know." 
 
 Mrs. Braveur rose. 
 
 "Come, Helen, let's leave him. He'll talk till 
 luncheon." And they went upstairs together, 
 Lucy's arm about the girl.
 
 IX 
 
 THERE -was some doubt about a certain young 
 person's nerves. She did not seem over-attentive 
 at luncheon and the inevitable woman in Mrs. 
 Braveur did much to leave her to herself. After 
 luncheon some of the people went out to skate, 
 and the rest disappeared here and there doing 
 what they liked. Finally the hostess found her 
 charge trying to read in the library. 
 
 " Helen." 
 " "Yes, dear?" 
 
 "You you are to have tea at half -past four 
 in Jim's study upstairs." 
 
 The girl got up and silently kissed her. 
 
 " Jim's going to try four horses to the big sleigh 
 and there's no danger of our getting back before 
 half -past five." 
 
 Again the flushed cheek touched hers. 
 
 "In fact, with such a turnout, there's more 
 danger that we won't get back at all - " 
 51
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " You're so sweet, dear." 
 
 "You wouldn't mind if we didn't?" 
 
 " Lucy ! " 
 
 "Now run along upstairs and put on the 
 prettiest frock you've got in the whole world, and 
 see that " 
 
 But she was talking to the large and roomy 
 library. 
 
 Helen, smiling openly now, went about gather- 
 ing her tea-gown and making her toilet. Every 
 now and then a bit of song sounded in the room 
 hummed softly through closed lips. Once she 
 stopped at the bureau, opened a drawer and re- 
 read a crumpled note. Then she sat before the 
 dressing-table to do up her hair. One coil was in 
 place when the dreamy smile came back and the 
 chin came down on two palms. There she sat, her 
 elbows on the table, musing and watching her face 
 in the glass. Sitting so, she suddenly flushed 
 crimson. Then the smile broadened and she sat 
 up, laughing as she finished. 
 
 Her watch registered a quarter past four as she 
 stood taking a last critical look at herself in the 
 mirror. The reflection seemed to dissatisfy her 
 
 52
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 and she re-arranged the lace on the front of her 
 gown, touched her hair here and there, and then 
 turning to the door, stood for a moment with her 
 hand on the knob. There was a sudden catch in 
 her breath then she moved slowly along the hall 
 to the study. 
 
 The sound of a sleigh in the drive, the closing 
 of a door downstairs, and the maid stood before 
 her. 
 
 "Mr. Endicott, Miss, is " 
 
 " Here I am," cried a vigorous voice. " I 
 didn't wait I couldn't!" Then suddenly the 
 man stopped, his eyes fixed on the fair girl sitting 
 there in the fading light, the white gown and 
 brown hair set off against a large red leather chair. 
 He drew in his breath suddenly and swallowed. 
 
 "How do you do?" 
 
 " Splendid ! " said he, waking from a momentary 
 daze. " Did you get my note ? " 
 
 "Yes. Annette, can we have some tea? Where 
 have you come from now?" The girl, after all, 
 was the calmer. 
 
 "From town. I couldn't come yesterday 
 too busy." 
 
 53
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " I didn't know you were coming at all until I 
 got your note." 
 
 "Didn't Mrs. Braveur tell you?" 
 
 " No." 
 
 " Well it was mighty good of her to ask me." 
 
 " She's a dear." 
 
 " And when you wrote me you were coming here, 
 I wanted to come bad." 
 
 "Did you really?" 
 
 Again the man sitting opposite gazed at her. 
 Indeed he could not take his eyes off her. 
 
 " It's very good to see you again. Do 
 you know I haven't laid eyes on you for two 
 ;weeks." 
 
 " Goodness, what a long time ! " smilingly. 
 
 "What's that you're doing?" 
 
 "A table cover." 
 
 "Well, put it down, please, and and look at 
 me." 
 
 She laid the work in her lap and looked up at 
 him with shining eyes for a moment, and then 
 seeing in his something that made her let her own 
 fall, she took up the work again. 
 
 "Don't," said he, leaning forward and gently 
 54
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 taking the frame out of her hand. "Talk to 
 me." 
 
 There was a moment of silence while Annette 
 brought in the tea things. Then she left them 
 alone with the darkening room lighted only by the 
 wood fire. 
 
 "Are you glad to see me Helen may I call 
 you Helen ? " 
 
 " Yes," she said presently, bending over the 
 kettle. 
 
 "Which?" 
 
 " I'm glad to see you." 
 
 "And the other?" 
 
 "What do you think?" 
 
 " I think Helen is such a bully name it's a pity 
 not to use it." 
 
 " But you don't it isn't quite I'm afraid " 
 
 " It's all right. Those arguments don't amount 
 to that! " 
 
 " I didn't make any arguments " 
 
 " Oh, then, I can call you Helen." 
 
 " No, I don't think you'd better." 
 
 "I don't care what you think." 
 
 "What!" 
 
 55
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "I mean it suits you so well. You're just like 
 a beautiful Helen this moment. You'd set any 
 nation fighting for you." And still he looked at 
 her as if he had never seen her before. 
 
 " Well now I will lay down the law." 
 
 "Yes, your majesty." 
 
 " You will call me Miss Gardner." 
 
 "Oh, now- -" 
 
 "It's an order." 
 
 "Yes, your sweet majesty." 
 
 "And then you will get on some other subject 
 than myself." 
 
 " I can't." 
 
 "Try." 
 
 " I don't want to." 
 
 "What do you mean?" pouring tea with great 
 care, though the cups and saucers rattled a little. 
 
 "I mean that you are so beautiful, so beauti- 
 ful " 
 
 "Stop it, sir!" 
 
 "An order?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Very well, your majesty." 
 
 " Now go on." 
 
 56
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " So beautiful 
 
 " I said stop," laughed the girl merrily. 
 
 "You said to go on." 
 
 " I meant on something else." 
 
 "What's the use of anything else?" 
 
 "A great deal of use." 
 
 "What, for example?" 
 
 "Your work, for one example." 
 
 He passed his hand over his eyes as if to clear 
 his vision. 
 
 " Yes, that's so." 
 
 "Is it going well?" 
 
 "Well? It couldn't do better. Helen, I've 
 got something to tell you. Will you listen ? " 
 
 She did not reply, but the white gown rose and 
 fell suddenly at her throat. 
 
 "Shall I tell you?" 
 
 " If you like to," murmured the girl. 
 
 " The knowledge of it came so suddenly. I 
 could not wait to be with you to tell you." 
 
 The girl looked up at him an instant, her whole 
 soul in her eyes. 
 
 " Well ? " said she in a low voice, again bending 
 over the tea-tray. 
 
 57
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Why, you know Parton the president of 
 the road?" 
 
 "Yes," with a startled expression. 
 
 " He has had me made first vice-president ! " 
 And he looked up at her proudly. A cup dropped 
 on the tray and broke with a sharp click. 
 
 "You?" 
 
 " Yes. First vice-president of the B. M. & W. 
 Doesn't seem possible, does it?" And still he 
 looked proudly at her, bending forward, his hands 
 on his knees. 
 
 No one knows what a woman can do until the 
 impossible is presented to her. Helen Gardner 
 said nothing for an instant while she picked up 
 the pieces of the cup. Then : 
 
 "I'm so glad." 
 
 "Not bad, is it?" said he a little shamefacedly. 
 
 " It's splendid." In her natural voice now. " Can 
 I tell it?" 
 
 "Not yet. I wanted to tell you first 
 Helen " 
 
 " You mustn't, really ! " said she, smiling a little 
 sadly. 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 58
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Because you don't know me well enough. But 
 the news is splendid, and I do congratulate you." 
 
 " I knew you would. I I think the moment I 
 heard it I thought first how it would please 
 you." 
 
 "Did you?" 
 
 " You see," said the man, now fully in his sub- 
 ject, "Jason thought he had it, and so did I. 
 But I they well, you know, I've worked a 
 good deal lately with Parton and he put me in. 
 That's the fact. He did it himself, and it's mighty 
 fine of him." 
 
 "Yes," said the girl, busily working on the 
 frame now. 
 
 " Now I can get in some of the schemes you and 
 I have talked over for the libraries and associations 
 of the men." 
 
 "Yes, you must." Without looking up. 
 
 "And that protective insurance" a pause 
 " what's the matter with you ? " 
 
 " Nothing. I'm listening. It's splendid, Mr. 
 Endicott." 
 
 " It's perfectly immense ! " cried the man again. 
 " It's the chance of a lifetime." And then he ran 
 59
 
 on minute after minute, while the girl sat with her 
 eyes on the work approving gently, praising and 
 agreeing, until finally in the friendly darkness of 
 the firelight she said: 
 
 "And now you must go and get ready for 
 dinner." 
 
 "Don't send me off. I'd rather stay here with 
 you." 
 
 " But I'm going to dress." And she got up and 
 got out of the study and into her own room. 
 
 Once there she walked slowly, quietly over to the 
 bed and fell face downward upon the pillow sob- 
 bing as if her heart would break. Vice-president! 
 Vice-president ! What did she care for vice- 
 presidents ? 
 
 It seemed only a minute, though in reality it 
 was much longer, when a hurried knock came at 
 the door. She jumped up, brushed her eyes 
 quickly with her hand and then called to Mrs. 
 Braveur to come in. 
 
 "Well, dear," she stopped suddenly in the mid- 
 dle of the room. " Helen ! " 
 
 " Don't speak to me ! " whispered the girl, turn- 
 ing to the window. 
 
 60
 
 " 'Helen, I've got something to tell 
 you.' "
 
 " What is it ? " said the other, running to her and 
 putting her arms around her. 
 
 "I can't talk, Lucy. I- -" 
 
 "Helen!" 
 
 " I can't ! I can't ! You you must leave me 
 a little while." 
 
 "Helen, dear!" 
 
 " Please ! please " And then without 
 
 another word Lucy quietly left the room. As the 
 door closed the girl put her hands to her throat 
 with a pitiful little gesture, and murmured, " I'm 
 so ashamed! so ashamed!" 
 
 So she stood a moment, and then quietly began 
 to dress. 
 
 61
 
 "NED, what's the matter with you struck a 
 bonanza ? " 
 
 " Never you mind, old hoss. I'm all right and 
 everything here." 
 
 " You look as if you'd reached out and grasped 
 something ! " 
 
 "I'm just the same, George." 
 
 Winthrop looked at him and smiled. 
 
 "Plus something good, and no mistake. Jim, 
 glance at your stalwart guest, I'm thinking he's 
 pleased." 
 
 " He's probably invented a way to carry freight 
 without cost." 
 
 " Or reformed the great middle class 
 
 " Oh, dry up," laughed Endicott. " You're a 
 lazy sporting crowd, and if anybody gets inter- 
 ested in anything, you guy him." 
 
 " We must get some amusement ! " 
 
 "All right! all right! go on. You can't touch 
 62
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 me." And Mrs. Braveur came down the stairs into 
 the hall where they stood. She left her guests for 
 a moment, went alone into the dining-room and 
 changed one or two of the cards. Then she 
 returned to the hall. 
 
 " Jim, take in Eleanor you and Edith, George 
 Mr. Endicott, will you take me?" And so on 
 till they all went in twelve of them. 
 
 " How'd the four go, Jim ? " asked Winthrop as 
 the} 7 sat down. 
 
 "Pretty well for a sleigh, but they didn't know 
 what they had behind them and kind of wriggled 
 'round a bit. By the way, Miss Gardner, I thought 
 you were coming?" 
 
 " I didn't feel over-well, and anyway it's too 
 cold." 
 
 " I forbade her," said Lucy quickly. Then to 
 Endicott as the others talked on, she said, "Yes, 
 I'm delighted you could come." 
 
 " So was I. And it's mighty good of you to ask 
 me. I had a special desire to " 
 
 "See Miss Gardner?" 
 
 "Why why, yes. Come, how'd you know?" 
 a little shamefacedly. 
 
 63
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Hostesses know everything." 
 
 "And did you know I had something I wanted 
 to tell her?" 
 
 " I guessed it." 
 
 "Well, I did." 
 
 "Did you tell her?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " And she was pleased ? " 
 
 " She was. I tell you, Mrs. Braveur, Helen 
 Gardner is a mighty a very " 
 
 "Nice girl?" 
 
 " More than that a good deal more. She's 
 done a great deal that is I've bored her with my 
 hopes a good deal. I never talked with anyone as 
 I have with her and she she knows a lot." 
 
 " She does indeed ! " said Lucy, looking at him 
 fixedly. 
 
 " She knows more than I ever will." 
 
 " I haven't a doubt of it." She had been watch- 
 ing him closely since sitting down. She was think- 
 ing and guessing fast. 
 
 "You know you women are wonderful." 
 
 "All of us?" 
 
 "Well, Miss Gardner and you anyway 
 64
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Thank you for including me," smiling. 
 
 " You understand men so well." 
 
 " Better than you understand yourselves, I 
 fancy." 
 
 " I shouldn't wonder. You see I I you 
 won't mind, will you ? " 
 
 " I don't know till I hear." 
 
 "Well, you see, I've had a big streak of luck, 
 the greatest thing in the world I don't deserve 
 it " 
 
 "Oh, now!" 
 
 " No, really. And she's been so clear-headed in 
 talking over things with me that when this big 
 appointment you mustn't tell ? " 
 
 " Never ! " 
 
 " That when this appointment and it is a 
 big one came to me I wanted her to know it 
 first." 
 
 " And so you wrote her about it? " 
 
 "How'd you know?" 
 
 " I can guess." 
 
 "Yes, but " 
 
 " She got a note from you fact one ; I knew 
 you were coming this afternoon fact two; she 
 65
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 said she would stay at home fact three. Per- 
 fectly simple, isn't it ? " 
 
 "That's it! Just what I said! You know more 
 in a minute than a dozen men in a year." 
 
 "And you men can't see a large lighted candle 
 two feet away in the dark ! " 
 
 "That's an effective simile, anyway." And he 
 laughed at her. 
 
 "It's true." 
 
 " Oh, now, I could see some things." 
 
 " I don't believe it." 
 
 "Try me." 
 
 Then she began in earnest. 
 
 "Well, for example, you talked to Helen for an 
 hour " 
 
 "Nearly two." 
 
 " Very well. You did not notice, I suppose, that 
 she was ill." 
 
 "111. Good Heavens, is she ill?" 
 
 " There ! there ! Don't talk so loud. And yet I 
 could see it as plain as day, and can now." 
 
 He turned to look at the girl who was talking 
 and smiling at her neighbour. He hesitated a 
 moment. 
 
 66
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " She looks to me that is, I should say she's 
 all right." 
 
 " Of course, I am merely proving to you that 
 she is ill." 
 
 "Really?" 
 
 " Physically ? Oh, no," contemptuously. 
 
 " I don't understand." 
 
 " I mean there is something worrying her ! " 
 
 " Good Heavens, Mrs. Braveur, she oughtn't 
 she can't have anything to worry her. No breath 
 of harm should ever come near her." 
 
 "Well, there has some harm come." And she 
 could have laughed out at the new expression that 
 appeared on his face. 
 
 "What is it?" he asked a little huskily. "Can 
 I " 
 
 "Oh, I'm only proving to you that men can't 
 see anything. Now I'll give you another example. 
 There's Eleanor Winthrop " 
 
 " Mrs. Braveur, forgive me. There can't be 
 anything causing her grief " 
 
 "Who? Eleanor?" 
 
 " No, no ! Miss Gardner." 
 
 " Oh, never mind her. Take another " 
 
 67
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " But I do mind," said he quickly, the new fear 
 growing on his frank face. Even Lucy Braveur 
 felt a little pang of compunction, but she went 
 steadfastly on. " I'd do anything in the world to 
 keep sorrow away from her." 
 
 "You?" 
 
 "That is yes, why not?" 
 
 " Good gracious ! how silly ! you might help a 
 railroad out of a strike, but you couldn't help a 
 girl out of such a difficulty." 
 
 " Tell me what it is," cried he eagerly. 
 
 " I can't," said she, looking away. " It wouldn't 
 be fair." 
 
 " I give you TLJ word no one shall know." 
 
 "Can't you guess?" 
 
 " Guess, how could I ? " 
 
 " Of course. You're a man. I forgot." 
 
 " Don't play with me. I I'm more than 
 serious," and in good truth his face showed it. 
 
 " Promise never to tell ? " 
 
 "Never, really!" 
 
 "Well, I'm only guessing but I know, too. 
 That's what a woman always knows." 
 
 " Yes," breathlessly. 
 
 68
 
 " It's something like this," and she leaned over 
 toward him, sending up a little silent prayer to be 
 forgiven her sin. His eyes were fixed on the girl 
 nearly opposite him, " Somebody wants to marry 
 her " 
 
 "Marry her!" 
 
 "Yes, why not?" 
 
 "Marry Tier?" 
 
 She laughed nervously at the exclamation and 
 the extraordinary look in the eyes that never 
 moved from the girl's all-unconscious face. 
 
 "Why not? But be careful. There are several 
 women at this table who can er make guesses. 
 
 And your eyes at this moment " He suddenly 
 
 put his elbow on the table and covered his eyes with 
 his hand. 
 
 "Well?" said he presently in a very different 
 tone. 
 
 " I make a guess that she doesn't know what to 
 do and that she's suffering now all the time." 
 
 " Lucy," asked Mrs. Alton, " stop talking to 
 Mr. Endicott and tell me if that novel you told me 
 about just before dinner is in the house." 
 
 "What was that?" asked Mrs. Braveur. 
 69
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " That awful story about the girl that wouldn't 
 marry the man!" 
 
 " Jingo ! it must have been awful," said Win- 
 throp in mock amazement. 
 
 " Lucky man," murmured Braveur. 
 
 " It was dreadful, really," said Mrs. Alton, not 
 deigning to notice the side remarks. " I want to 
 read it." 
 
 " Never mind reading it," said Winthrop, " let's 
 have the tale now." 
 
 " I can't remember all of it. In fact, Lucy 
 didn't tell me all of it." 
 
 "Please tell us how the man escaped," pleaded 
 Ben Alton. 
 
 "Anything about married men getting get- 
 ting " 
 
 " Jim, dear ! Some of us are married here," said 
 his wife. 
 
 "Do tell us!" 
 
 "Why, it's only a story I read somewhere of a 
 girl who agreed after after much urging, to run 
 away and marry a man. And then when the night 
 came she couldn't " 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 70
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " She thought it all over and decided that a man 
 who would ask her to run away and marry against 
 her parents' wishes and put her in a bad light 
 before society was not the kind of a man to 
 marry." 
 
 " Girl's an idiot," said Winthrop. 
 
 Endicott began to hear now. There are times, 
 they say, when a man's mind travels millions of 
 miles in an instant. Ned Endicott had been beat- 
 ing thought-records for the past few seconds. He 
 had travelled back over two years, jumped about 
 here and there, quite contrary to railroad schedule, 
 remembering, thinking, seeing thousands of things 
 under a new light. He had jumped ahead a life- 
 time and travelled back second by second through it 
 all, and then he had tried another life with some- 
 body else and spent years along the way. Finally 
 he woke up after less than a second and felt a 
 quick pressure on his arm. And then his face 
 slowly closed like a book that had been opened. 
 
 " Girl's an idiot," said Winthrop. 
 
 " I don't think so at all," exclaimed Mrs. Alton. 
 " She did quite right. But think of the man and 
 his thoughts." 
 
 71
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Well, he was out of a bad fix," said Braveur; 
 " any girl who says one thing and does another 
 would make a poor wife." 
 
 " I don't believe she gave a rap for him at any 
 time," said Winston. 
 
 " How idiotic ! I can imagine it perfectly." And 
 Mrs. Braveur trembled a little. "What do you 
 say, Eleanor?" 
 
 " Why, I can imagine a girl thinking it out and 
 believing that a a love affair begun in deception 
 could never be really a happy one." 
 
 "Exactly," cried Mrs. Alton. 
 
 " And you, Mr. Endicott ? " asked Lucy. 
 
 "The man was a selfish beast, so far as I can 
 see." 
 
 " That's a new one ! " laughed Braveur. " Why 
 selfish?" 
 
 " Because he was apparently Heaven knows I 
 never heard the story but he was only thinking 
 of himself. Never gave a thought of the bad light 
 he would put the girl in everywhere : 
 
 " Ned, you ought to run a Sunday-school." 
 
 "Not a bit of it. A man who gets a girl to 
 elope is a cheap John, anyway." 
 
 72
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Bravo!" cried Mrs. Winthrop. "The girl 
 was quite right in staying at home." 
 
 "Helen, what's your view?" asked Mrs. Alton. 
 
 " The girl couldn't have loved the man," said 
 she quietly. 
 
 " Stuff ! " said Braveur. 
 
 "Why?" asked two women at once. 
 
 " Because if she had, she'd have gone with him 
 at any time." 
 
 " The Maiden's Dream ! " murmured Braveur. 
 
 Endicott was still travelling back and forward 
 over the same ground at a nerve-straining pace 
 while they talked on. Then in a low voice he said: 
 
 "Mrs. Braveur?" 
 
 "Yes?" guiltily. 
 
 "Is is Miss Gardner er she's engaged?" 
 
 "What!" 
 
 "You said Miss Gardner was engaged?" 
 
 " I ? Goodness me, no, not that I know of." 
 
 " I mean you said she was ill." 
 
 " Oh, yes. I'd forgotten. I was giving you an 
 example, wasn't I ? " 
 
 " Of the wit of woman in seeing things." 
 
 "Yes, yes," nervously. 
 73
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 "Oh, I only spoke of that because I could see 
 what was going on." 
 
 "Is it true?" 
 
 " I'm as sure of it as if she had told me the 
 whole story. But you promised not to tell you 
 mustn't forget that!" 
 
 "Never fear." She was a little scared at the 
 expression in his voice. "Is she really engaged?" 
 
 " You stupid ! If she were engaged she wouldn't 
 be sick and worried to death, would she ? " 
 
 " No, you're right. She wouldn't, would she ? " 
 
 "I believe even Jim would have seen that." 
 
 Then, really afraid of what she had done, she 
 turned to Alton and began talking fast about the 
 woman who wouldn't run away. 
 
 Endicott sat looking at the girl nearly opposite 
 him for a few moments. Then his jaw set. He 
 was no weak fool, this son of man. He took a card 
 from his pocket and holding it concealed in the 
 palm of his hand, wrote with his pencil upon it, " I 
 love you. Will you marry me?" and folded it 
 carefully. 
 
 Then glancing at Mrs. Braveur, he motioned to 
 74
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 the butler. The man came quietly. Nobody saw. 
 Endicott put the paper in his hand. 
 
 "You see that lady the second on the other 
 side?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "The one in white?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 " Give her this note now." 
 
 He watched the man go around the table saw 
 him approach her. Mrs. Braveur started to rise 
 as a signal for the women to go. 
 
 He saw the butler stand behind Helen, saw her 
 turn in surprise and take the card. 
 
 She opened it, glanced at it, and even he could 
 see a sudden quiver go all through her and as 
 quickly disappear. Slowly she tore up the card in 
 little pieces and rose as the others did. 
 
 The man held his breath and clenched his fists, 
 following her with his eyes as she moved around 
 the table. Slowly she came on. She must pass 
 near him as he stood by the door. It seemed as if 
 he could not wait. 
 
 On she came, her eyes on the ground. 
 
 She reached him and passed out last. 
 75
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 Endicott's heart sank. He felt a sickening 
 misery in his chest. 
 
 Suddenly she stopped turned back and looked 
 at him an instant with shining eyes, and then 
 turning to the butler who was closing the door said 
 softly, but so that one other could hear: 
 
 " You may tell the gentleman ' Yes,' John."
 
 XI 
 
 JlM, dear, where are you going? " 
 
 "I'm bound for Barnard's, to work on some 
 hunters for next summer." 
 
 "Do you know what happened last week down 
 at Naugatuck ? " 
 
 " Probably not what you know. Ned Endicott 
 lost eighty dollars at bridge without a murmur. 
 I knew he wouldn't weaken, but to tell the truth I 
 never saw him play before." 
 
 " I don't wonder he played." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "I made him marry a girl he didn't have any 
 idea of marrying." 
 
 "Lucy, you are certainly going crazy on the 
 matrimonial question." 
 
 "Well, he was so stupid, and I knew he only 
 needed waking up," and then she told him how it 
 all happened. 
 
 There was no use trying to keep it. Jim couldn't. 
 77
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 And so by the time the June wedding came off 
 everybody knew it, and all through the summer 
 down at Naugatuck, where the young couple 
 settled, Endicott could scarcely go to a dinner with- 
 out having a waiter bring up a card from one man 
 or another with something unprintable written 
 upon it. 
 
 One night in October a half dozen men just 
 returned from a long run with the Naugatuck 
 hounds sat around the big room of the club talk- 
 ing the day's spin over. Somebody ordered 
 drinks. 
 
 When Endicott's arrived with the others, there 
 sticking in the glass was a card. 
 
 He did not even open it, but quietly thre\v it in 
 the fire and turned to one of the others. 
 
 " Sedley, you idiot, that's the twentieth time 
 you've done that. Shall I order a round of bever- 
 ages again, or are you at last getting tired cf con- 
 suming liquid at my expense on that stale and 
 unprofitable joke?" 
 
 " All right, old man, no offence, but " 
 
 "You want to get married yourself?" 
 
 "What!" 
 
 78
 
 " Because if you do, you might try this as the 
 last resort. It has worked, you know." 
 
 This time the laugh was on the other man, and 
 so the joke dropped. 
 
 "Well, I'm for home," said Sedley presently as 
 he rose from the circle around the fire. 
 
 "What's the rush, Tom?" asked Endicott. 
 " There's still one to come on me." 
 
 " Oh, I'm tired. That was a long run this after- 
 noon." 
 
 " Stay here and dine," said someone. 
 
 " Put up with us and I'll give you a dinner," 
 said Braveur. 
 
 " No no ! I go to ' my sweet, my highland 
 home,' " and he backed up to the fire with one tail 
 of his riding-coat on either arm and his hands 
 thrust into his pockets. 
 
 " We've got a fair charmer, who'll draw you out 
 of bachelorhood," urged Braveur, smiling. 
 
 " Jim," said Sedley reproachfully as he turned 
 to touch a button in the wall, "Jim, don't try to 
 fill me up with matrimony. I know the head of 
 your family too well. She'd have me married 
 within a week. No, I'm happy. I've got a 
 
 79
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 home Otto, ask the stable boy to send up 
 
 Khartoun." 
 
 " It's a most ridiculous thing that house on 
 the hill all alone and no girl to " 
 
 "Hang her petticoats in my closets? Not on 
 your life, Jimmy ! " laughed the bachelor as he 
 pulled on his gloves and made for the door. 
 
 " There's an extra run day after to-morrow 
 with the new hounds. Will you be down ? " 
 
 " Yes about ten ? All right ! So long ! " 
 
 Outside he mounted Khartoun and the two tired 
 beings, with mud on fetlock and riding-boot, 
 jogged off into the twilight. The last red of the 
 autumn day was close down in the west and little 
 clouds like pink balloons came scurrying out of 
 the north with the crisp wind. All the hills stood 
 black against the sky as they wound up the wooded 
 road for five good miles. Then a light from a 
 window, a bit of clear avenue, and Sedley pulled 
 up at the door of his house, pausing a moment to 
 look out over the woods and the sea, now darkening 
 into the early October night. 
 
 80
 
 XII 
 
 SEDLEY turned the knob and went into a gen- 
 erous room 
 
 " Heavens preserve us ! " he muttered. 
 
 There at the further end of the room, on a 
 lounge before a fire there in his house sat a 
 young woman in riding habit and three-cornered 
 hat calmly pouring a cup of tea and tossing bits 
 of toast to two his two shaggy stag-hounds. 
 
 Through the double doors from the dining- 
 room came a trim little maid. Sedley raised a 
 warning finger and stood watching the operation. 
 In a moment the dogs sat up and looked at him and 
 the girl instinctively turned. 
 
 "Don't get up! please! Do sit down again! 
 
 I " And he stopped for want of something 
 
 to say, while the colour spread over the girl's face 
 as he moved toward the fire. 
 
 "I I hope you won't mind I had to ! " 
 
 " May I have some tea ? " he asked so plaintively 
 81
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 that she could not help smiling as he sank into a 
 big leather chair. 
 
 "No doubt, since it's your tea sugar?" 
 
 "Two lumps." 
 
 He did not take his eyes from her for fear she 
 might fade away. 
 
 "You won't think me un un I didn't 
 know " 
 
 " I'll explain. You are a maiden of colonial days 
 with your cocked hat, riding afield, and I I'm 
 -well, I'm- -" 
 
 "You're a bachelor in the twentieth century 
 and your name is Sedley." 
 
 "Do you mind?" 
 
 She smiled at his apologetic tone. 
 
 " How do you know who I am ? " 
 
 "Well, in the first place," laughing in spite of 
 herself, " there isn't one single thing in all this 
 beautiful room that could possibly belong to a 
 woman. Then here's a tobacco box marked 
 Thomas Sedley." 
 
 "Maggie!" 
 
 " Yes, sir," said the maid. 
 
 " Can Miss Holmes have some more toast?" 
 82
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " But that isn't my name ! " cried the visitor. 
 
 " Oh, yes, it is." 
 
 " But it isn't any such thing ! My name is 
 
 "Wait! I'll tell you your story. I even know 
 your family ; I know your age, too." 
 
 "Do you, really!" 
 
 " Certainly. You're Miss Holmes sister to 
 Sherlock- -" 
 
 " How silly ! " 
 
 "And you have all the ability of that famous 
 family." 
 
 " And how old am I, if you please ? " 
 
 " You were born in 1782." 
 
 "Thank you. I knew I looked old, but- -" 
 
 " I mean you're you're " 
 
 " It's really one hundred and twenty-five years." 
 
 "You see, you you've preserved your youth 
 wonderfully." 
 
 " I should hope so." 
 
 " In fact you've scarcely changed for the last 
 hundred and five years." 
 
 " But I'm sailing under false colours. Your nice 
 little maid told me your name and that you were a 
 bachelor." 
 
 83
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "I knew it!" 
 
 "What?" 
 
 "No one but Holmes, or his sister, could put 
 two and two together that way ! " 
 
 " Oh, well, if you insist but I mustn't stay 
 
 " Please sit down ! You don't know how 
 
 " But it isn't it isn't proper for me to be here. 
 Won't you let me clear myself ? " 
 
 " Tell me all about it," and he leaned forward. 
 
 " I was in the hunt to-day, and way off here 
 somewhere Ladysmith stumbled and fell, and I 
 came a graceful cropper, broke the girth and hurt 
 poor Ladysmith's knee." 
 
 " I'll give Ladysmith a big lump of sugar." 
 
 "Yes, she's a dear! You'd love her." 
 
 " I do now." 
 
 " But you've never seen her ! " 
 
 " Yet she stumbled, you know " 
 
 "But " 
 
 " Right near here." 
 
 " How ridiculous ! Well, then I saw this pretty 
 house and limped up." 
 
 " You ? " anxiously. 
 
 " I mean Ladysmith and rang the bell, 
 84
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 and" smiling up at him "asked for the lady 
 of the house " 
 
 "Ah, that illusory lady that mysterious per- 
 son where, oh, where may she be?" 
 
 "And the nice little maid said, "Scuse me, 
 mum, but there ain't none.' But she said I must 
 come in, and she had Ladysmith taken to the 
 stable, and then gave me this delicious tea." She 
 stood up and smoothed her habit down, carefully 
 covering so far as possible the little tan riding- 
 boots. 
 
 Sedley got up hastily, still somewhat dazed. 
 
 " Won't you have some tea ? " 
 
 " Dear me ; no, thanks, I've had three cups 
 already." 
 
 " Have some whis No, no, of course not ! 
 
 Won't you have er something ? " 
 
 They stood now by the high mantel with only 
 the light of the fire in the room. 
 
 " May I ask one more favour ? " 
 
 "Will you, please?" 
 
 "You haven't any telephone " 
 
 " No, I have telephones in town. I won't have 
 one here." 
 
 85
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 "And I can't telephone my people 
 
 " Of course. I'll hitch up something and take 
 you home." 
 
 But still there was uncertainty, perhaps embar- 
 rassment, in her face. 
 
 " Or would you rather ride ? " 
 
 " I would, really. I love horses and this is so 
 beautiful this cold, dark night," 
 
 " May I ride down with you ? " 
 
 "I'm afraid that's the great favour " 
 
 "It is indeed! To be able to- -" 
 
 " I mean, it's unfair to take you out now, but I 
 don't know the way, you see. And would you 
 and would you keep Ladysmith?" 
 
 " Of course." 
 
 And so he ordered two horses. As they waited 
 she looked about the room, now lighted with its 
 quietly shaded electric lamps. 
 
 " It is beautiful, really ! I don't see how a man 
 can make it so pretty." 
 
 He led her to the dining-room. The table was 
 set for one. 
 
 " It would be hospitable to ask my guest 
 
 86
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Don't, please ! " said she quickly. 
 
 " Forgive me. I won't," and he was so evidently 
 sorry that she smiled forgiveness. 
 
 " It is really too pretty for anything. No mere 
 man deserves it." 
 
 "Would you like to see you know how 
 how I housekeep?" 
 
 "I'd love to," and she went into the butler's 
 pantry. 
 
 They were looking at the clean kitchen Mag- 
 gie standing by with embarrassed pride when 
 Sedley stopped. The front door opened and 
 closed and a cheery masculine voice cried out : " Oh, 
 Tom ! " " Tom " murmured something unfit for 
 publication and then turned to find a fair but 
 frightened face looking up at him in dismay. 
 
 "What shall we do?" she whispered, coming 
 close to him. 
 
 " I say, Tom ! Are you there? " 
 
 " Hello, Ben ! I'll be there in a moment ; " then 
 he whispered, " Stay here till I come back." 
 
 The girl was now thoroughly frightened. " It's 
 dreadful! If he should see me! Oh, Mr. Sedley, 
 I I you won't misunderstand, will you?" 
 
 87
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 *' Stay in this room and wait," said he quietly. 
 "And if you think I could misunderstand in the 
 least, you aren't very nice to me, are you ? " 
 
 " I know. I it's terrible ! " 
 
 He made a sign to her and went out through the 
 dining-room. 
 
 " Say, Tom, I'm on my way to the club after 
 wandering around here looking for a young woman 
 who's visiting down below. Can't find her give 
 me a drink, will you? And send me on my way 
 rejoicing." 
 
 " Sure, Ben," said Sedley, cursing the man 
 inwardly. They moved over to the fire. Sedley 's 
 heart was in his mouth until he saw that Maggie 
 had taken away the tea things. All was well. 
 
 " Hello, what's this ? " asked Alton, picking up 
 a lady's riding gauntlet. "Tom! Thomas! who 
 is she?" 
 
 " Never you mind, my friend," and Sedley 
 choked as his brain tried to work to the occasion. 
 
 "Who is she? Tell me, or- -" 
 
 " Ben, do you suppose it's impossible for a 
 bachelor to secure by some mysterious means the 
 glove of a fair lady ? " 
 
 88
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " You don't mean to say 
 
 '' I mean to say nothing," which was literally 
 true. 
 
 " So the old hard-shell is cracked at last ! If I 
 don't " 
 
 " Here, man, here's your beverage. Drink it," 
 adding to himself, " and may it choke you." . 
 
 " Well, I'll be doggoned ! To think of Tom Sed- 
 
 ley " and he laughed at the nervous wreck in 
 
 front of him. " Say, Tom, did the fair one ride 
 to-day?" 
 
 " None of your business ! Will you stay and 
 dine?" 
 
 " I can't. I've got to get down and report my 
 loss. She's probably at home now, anyway." 
 
 They went to the door, and as Alton mounted 
 again Sedley called out : " You're dining here to- 
 morrow, you know." 
 
 "All right." 
 
 " You and the Missus and your houseful." 
 
 Then he banged the door and sinking into a 
 chair wiped his forehead. There was a quick step 
 from the dining-room. 
 
 " Give me that glove quick ! " 
 89
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 " Quick ! quick ! " He gave it up at once. 
 
 " It's all right, Miss Holmes. No harm done." 
 
 She seemed suddenly conscience-stricken as she 
 drew on the glove. 
 
 "You've got yourself into a terrible scrape to 
 save me. I I am very thankful to you, really." 
 And she held out the little gauntlet. He was per- 
 haps 'a little nervous and excited over what had just 
 happened and that would explain his raising it 
 gently to his lips. 
 
 "There are the horses," said a nervous little 
 voice. 
 
 " Yes, yes ; here they are " 
 
 "Goodness me!" 
 
 "What's the matter now?" 
 
 "I can't leave Ladysmith here." 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 " How will she get home ? " 
 
 " I'll send her down in the morning." 
 
 " But how can I explain? " 
 
 " Dear me, that's so Alexander, bring up that 
 mare. I'll lead her." And so they started down 
 the dark road, walking the horses and talking but 
 
 90
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 little. He had somewhat to think on, and she? 
 she had a strange horse. 
 
 As they came to the outskirts of the Naugatuck 
 colony she pulled up. 
 
 "What's the trouble now?" asked Scdley 
 quickly. 
 
 Miss Sherlock Holmes looked over at him with 
 a laugh. 
 
 " You said I was a hundred and twenty-five 
 years old 
 
 "But I only meant- -" 
 
 "What did the cavaliers of those days do for 
 the damsels of those days ? " 
 
 He hesitated. 
 
 " I don't dare to say." 
 
 " I can stand anything after the last hour." 
 
 "Well, so far as I know, you see just answer- 
 ing 3^our question, you know ' 
 
 "Yes " 
 
 "Well, they fell in that is, they " 
 
 " They didn't do any such thing ! " stiffly. 
 
 " Yes, they did." 
 
 " They didn't ! I'll tell you what they did." 
 
 " If your ladyship will be so kind," humbly. 
 91
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "They were just willing to die for those 
 damsels." 
 
 " Strange how few changes time makes." 
 
 " Thank you, again." 
 
 "How shall I die, ladyship?" 
 
 " You will put my saddle on Ladysmith, sir, and 
 then you will leave me here to go home alone " 
 
 " No cavalier was ever such an ass ! " 
 
 "Please!" 
 
 " But you don't know the way." 
 
 "Yes, I do, really. From here it's only a step. 
 Please!" she urged gently. And he did. 
 
 Just as she was about to leave, he said: 
 
 "Those cavalier-damsel days had another 
 custom." 
 
 " I don't believe it. What custom?" 
 
 " The damsel always she did really always 
 gave the cavalier a favour at parting." 
 
 "Well, this damsel doesn't," laughed the 
 girl. 
 
 "Not that gray glove?" 
 
 " No. That glove has been seen once too often 
 already." 
 
 " May I be introduced to you some time ? " 
 92
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "I don't believe you can. I should be 
 frightened." 
 
 " I can keep a secret." 
 
 " If you'll promise never to remind me of this 
 again, and won't won't make me terribly 
 embarrassed " 
 
 " I promise." 
 
 "And I am really very much very much 
 obliged to you, Mr. Sedley, for it all." And off 
 limped Ladysmith. 
 
 "Good-by, Miss Holmes. 
 
 " Good-by, cavalier." 
 
 93
 
 XIII 
 
 "HERE we are!" cried Mrs. Alton, coming in 
 with her husband at eight the next night. 
 
 " And here's the rest of the company," said Sed- 
 ley, as Jim Braveur drove up with his partj\ They 
 came in, two Altons and four Braveurs. 
 
 "Tom," said Mrs. Jim, "this is Miss Atwood, 
 and over there trying to hide is Miss Mortimer." 
 He drew in his breath quickly and stood still for 
 an instant. Then in a sort of haze he shook hands 
 with the first and turning to the second said: 
 
 "I'm glad to meet you, Miss Holmes " 
 
 "Holmes!" laughed Mrs. Braveur, "I didn't 
 say Holmes. I said Mortimer." 
 
 "Of course," said Sedley, "Miss Mortimer." 
 And he watched a bright colour run over the face 
 and neck of a young person who gave him a look 
 that made him want to sink through the floor. 
 
 " So her name's Holmes, eh ? " whispered Alton, 
 passing him as they sat down to dinner. 
 94
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Mrs. Ben," said Sedley severely, " I wish you'd 
 squelch your husband." 
 
 " Ben, dear, what have you done now ? " 
 
 " Nothing much. I was just reminding Tom 
 of something he's going to do." 
 
 " He reminds me of something I'll do to 
 him," said Sedley grimly. Then he turned to 
 Lucy Braveur. " Tell me about Miss Mor- 
 timer." 
 
 " She's lovely," said Lucy enthusiastically. 
 
 " Granted." 
 
 " She's Alexander Mortimer's daughter. But 
 there's no chance for you." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 " Because she's engaged, or practically so, to 
 Peter Chisham." 
 
 "Engaged!" 
 
 "Yes, why not?" 
 
 " Why not, indeed ! " And yet something seemed 
 to have dimmed a pretty vision of tea things and 
 firelight that had strayed through his brain for 
 the last twenty-four hours. 
 
 "And, by the way, that reminds me," cried 
 Alton's penetrating voice ; " Edith, it's time you 
 95
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 gave an account of your doings yesterday 
 afternoon." 
 
 "And I decline to do so." 
 
 " What's up, Ben ? " asked Braveur. 
 
 "Well, you see, yesterday afternoon I chased 
 this young woman all over the county " 
 
 "I simply lost my way," put in the girl, realis- 
 ing that someone was watching her closely. 
 
 "Wait a moment," and Alton raised his finger 
 as if he were conducting a law case. " I stopped 
 in here, found Sedley on this sofa, holding what 
 do you suppose he was holding?" And he look eel 
 around with a glance that was big with import- 
 ance. 
 
 " A book," suggested Mrs. Jim. 
 
 "A highball," muttered Braveur. 
 
 " Converse with himself," said Mrs. Ben. 
 
 " Not at all ! Not at all ! He was holding a 
 glove!" 
 
 "Wonderful!" said Jim, disgusted. 
 
 "A lady's glove!" 
 
 " Heavens ! " said the company. 
 
 "Tom," cried Lucy sympathetically, "tell us 
 
 who she is. I'd be delighted if " 
 
 96
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " I'll tell you who she is," put in Alton. 
 
 They all waited two in that room with 
 mingled fear and dismay. 
 
 "She's Miss Holmes!" 
 
 The bombshell had burst. There was a pause. 
 
 " And who is she? " 
 
 No one noticed a long sigh of relief that escaped 
 from one fair person there. 
 
 " Come, Tom, speak up." 
 
 "Wait," said Alton. "When I left the club- 
 and I stopped only a moment there I went over 
 to your house, Jim, to see you, and there was 
 Edith" the dismay and fear returned "and 
 what do you suppose she had on ? " 
 
 "I hope at least a- -" 
 
 " Jim, dear ! " said his wife deprecatingly. 
 
 " Not at all ! Not at all ! " cried the prosecuting 
 lawyer. 
 
 " What! " exclaimed the company. 
 
 " I mean of course but she had something 
 else on." 
 
 "Please itemise, Ben," commanded Braveur. 
 
 " Jim, dear, don't be vulgar." 
 
 "Wait. I'll itemise " 
 
 97
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Ben Alton, don't you say another word!" 
 exclaimed his scandalised wife. 
 
 " Gloves! " cried the poor man. " She had on 
 gloves." 
 
 "Edith," said Braveur, "you're saved." 
 
 "I'm lost," thought the frightened girl. 
 "Well?" she said aloud. 
 
 "But don't you see?" And Alton looked 
 around. 
 
 "As usual, Ben," laughed Sedley. "Your 
 mental process is too cloudy for sight." 
 
 " But they were the same gloves." 
 
 " How do you know ? " 
 
 " They were gray gloves, don't you see ? " 
 
 "There is, of course, only one pair of gray 
 gloves in the world." 
 
 " Ben, you ought to be a detective instead of an 
 idiot," and Braveur looked with compassion at his 
 host. 
 
 " Oh, I've only begun ! Well, when I confronted 
 Edith with this damning evidence she said they 
 belonged to a Miss Holmes " 
 
 " Did she ? " asked Sedley quickly. 
 
 Sure." 
 
 98
 
 A'BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Ah, the plot thickens," said Braveur. Miss 
 Mortimer kept her eyes on her plate. Sedley grew 
 more nervous. 
 
 " And," Alton went on, " to-night I come up 
 here and Tom makes a slip and mentions the name 
 of Miss Holmes. There you are. Now, I ask, 
 who is Miss Holmes ? " 
 
 "Thomas," said Braveur, "in the words of the 
 poet, it's up to you. The prosecution rests." 
 
 " Ladies and gentlemen," began Sedley, raising 
 his glass, "I drink to Miss Holmes." And they 
 all did. 
 
 "Who is she, Tom?" 
 
 "Describe her." 
 
 "Is she lovely?" 
 
 " She's perfectly beautiful," he answered 
 seriously. One glance of dismay and reproach 
 flew across the table at him as he went on. 
 
 " Have you known her long ? " asked senti- 
 mental Mrs. Braveur. 
 
 " Not long." 
 
 "Do we know her?" 
 
 He bowed formally. " You have not the pleas- 
 ure of Miss Holmes' acquaintance." 
 99
 
 ' A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "More details, Tom." 
 
 "Well," turning carefully away from Miss 
 Mortimer's direction. " She has beautiful blue 
 
 eyes - 
 
 "Good!" 
 
 "Fair hair, a tall figure in fact she's pretty 
 near my ideal." 
 
 " She'd like your gossiping about her," said 
 Miss Mortimer severely. 
 
 "I'm not gossiping. I'm telling the truth." 
 
 "Tom, do you do you like her very much?" 
 asked Mrs. Braveur. 
 
 "I do, Lucy." 
 
 "May we congratulate you?" 
 
 " Not yet. I'll let you know in a little while." 
 
 "It's all bosh!" exclaimed Braveur. 
 
 "It's the gospel truth!" snapped Sedley. 
 "Only well, it was you who said Ben was an 
 idiot." 
 
 Suddenly there came a change on Mrs. Bra- 
 veur's face. She looked searchingly at Miss Mor- 
 timer, then at Sedley; then a queer little smile 
 appeared at the corners of her mouth and she 
 leaned back in her chair. 
 100
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 Dismayed as Edith Mortimer was, she could not 
 help looking straight into Sedley's face and say- 
 ing: 
 
 "If I were Miss Holmes I'd soon let you know 
 what I thought of a man who trifled with 
 me so." 
 
 "Do you know that I am trifling with her?" 
 
 " I do. That is, I know how any girl would 
 feel yes, how I should feel myself." 
 
 "How would you feel?" asked Alton. 
 
 " I should feel so angry that I would send the 
 man about his business in short order the next time 
 I saw him." 
 
 "You won't tell her, though?" urged Mrs. 
 Braveur shyly. 
 
 " By the way, you know her. What sort is 
 she?" 
 
 The girl was fairly caught. She glanced at 
 Sedley's face and grew furious at the amused 
 smile she saw there. 
 
 "You may tell them, but tell the truth," said 
 he. 
 
 " She'd thank you for the permission," sniffed 
 the young woman. 
 
 101
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Well, come on, Edith," laughed Alton. 
 "What's she like?" 
 
 " She's a very nice girl." 
 
 "Pretty?" 
 
 "No o." 
 
 " I tell you she's lovely," cried Sedley to the 
 company. 
 
 " She isn't anything of the sort ! " cried Miss 
 Mortimer. 
 
 "Are you jealous, Edith?" asked Lucy 
 severely. 
 
 "How absurd!" 
 
 " Isn't she a beautiful, charming girl ? I ask 
 you as a judge." And Sedley looked steadily at 
 her. 
 
 " You see we don't agree, so I won't say any 
 more." And then Mrs. Braveur, who was acting 
 as hostess, rose and the other women followed. 
 
 " Ben," said Sedley, as they began to smoke, 
 " you can put on your asbestos suit and get on the 
 first express train for the lower regions." 
 
 "Thanks! But Naugatuck'll do for me for a 
 while." 
 
 "All right, I'll get square. Wait till you 
 
 102
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 come up to play all night next time. I'm dog- 
 goned if I don't tell the Missus." 
 
 "Oh, let an old man have his fun, Tom. I 
 was only joking." And Braveur, studying his 
 host's face, held his peace. 
 
 103
 
 XIV 
 
 NEXT morning at ten the hounds met near the 
 club and soon went away for the morning drag. 
 There was a goodly company of some fifteen, men 
 and women, but they had nearly all got away 
 before Sedley arrived. He was soon going hard 
 after them, however, and in fifteen minutes he 
 caught sight of a slight figure riding well and 
 taking the jumps easily on one of Alton's mounts. 
 Khartoun brought him up to her and he received 
 a frigid " good-morning ! " 
 
 "May I ride with you for a little?" 
 
 " I'm very angry with you, Air. Sedley ," said 
 she, sitting straight on her horse and looking 
 ahead. 
 
 "Are you really?" 
 
 "I don't think it wasn't very gentlemanly to 
 take such an advantage of a girl who who made 
 a mistake." 
 
 104
 
 'A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Are you sorry you made it ? " 
 
 *' I am now, most certainly." 
 
 "What could I do?" 
 
 "You could have done anything but what you 
 did." 
 
 " But if I hadn't said I knew Miss Holmes and 
 let them think " 
 
 "You need not have ridiculed me." 
 
 " Miss Mortimer, I never thought of such a 
 thing." 
 
 " You did," cried the girl with tears of irritation 
 in her eyes, as she turned quickly away from him. 
 "You were laughing at me all the time, and I 
 could not defend myself." 
 
 "You can now, it seems." 
 
 "Yes, I think I can," and she nodded her head 
 vigorously in his direction. 
 
 " Careful of this fence ! *Ware hole on the 
 other side!" 
 
 "Oh, you're very thoughtful now," and she put 
 her horse hard at it and cleared well. 
 
 "Miss Mortimer," said he, coming up again, 
 " I'm really sorry. Won't you forgive the first 
 offence?" 
 
 105
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " I suppose I'll have to, or you will tell the 
 whole story " 
 
 "Miss Mortimer!" 
 
 His tone made her turn in the saddle and look 
 at him, and what she saw on his face frightened 
 her a little. For a moment they rode on. Then 
 she pulled up to a walk. 
 
 " I didn't mean that, Mr. Sedley." 
 
 "Thank you." 
 
 Silence again for a time as they galloped on. 
 
 "It's a beautiful day for a run, isn't it?" asked 
 a conciliatory little voice presently. 
 
 "Very," he answered. 
 
 Then he saw Chisham make toward them, saw 
 the newcomer received with marked cordiality, and 
 thereupon abruptly excused himself and rode 
 away. 
 
 In the Naugatuck colony there were so few 
 people that everyone saw everyone else daily, 
 and Sedley therefore found himself constantly in 
 Miss Mortimer's company. She was always polite, 
 but there came no sign of the bright, self- 
 possessed young woman he had once had tea with 
 in his own home. Then, too, Peter Chisham 
 1 06
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 seemed to be always near her, frequently talking 
 earnestly, always listened to. Sedlcy kept 
 away more and more, and yet he could not stay 
 away. 
 
 So it came once that the habitant of the 
 highland home, now much distressed over life in 
 general, rode off into the hills one afternoon with 
 no other purpose than to ride and meditate. And 
 so also it turned out that on a sudden he saw a 
 horsewoman ahead in the wooded roadway. He 
 knew her in a moment, but something about her 
 struck him as different. Ladysmith walked slowly 
 with loose rein, the girl leaned forward with both 
 hands clasped around her knee, and the gentle 
 figure showed unmistakable signs of weariness. 
 
 He started to turn away and then that same 
 inclination, stronger than his will, led him up to 
 her. 
 
 "Good-afternoon!" he called. 
 
 With a quick exclamation she turned and then 
 he saw her face change. 
 
 " I came on you accidentally. Shall I leave 
 you to your meditations ? " 
 
 " No, I think even you would be better." And 
 107
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 for the first time he recognised a spark of the 
 girl's real self. 
 
 " The thoughts couldn't have been worth even 
 a penny, then." 
 
 " I'd pay to have them taken away." 
 
 "What would you pay?" 
 
 " Anything." 
 
 "Good! I'll take them." 
 
 "You are untrustworthy." 
 
 " Miss Mortimer," said he earnestly, " don't you 
 think I've been hounded enough for what I had 
 no idea I'd done ? " 
 
 The girl began to be nervous, yet unstrung as 
 she was she held her own. 
 
 " Do you know, sir, you ought to be put through 
 a hard school ? " 
 
 "Of what kind?" 
 
 " You need some woman to tell you how to treat 
 other women." 
 
 The girl's manner might be light enough, but 
 her voice quivered with extreme nervousness. 
 
 " I think you need a lesson, too." He was not 
 joking, either. 
 
 "What do you mean?" 
 1 08
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Do you know you are a, very dangerous 
 person ? " 
 
 " In dangerous company ? " 
 
 " It isn't fair to trifle with two men." 
 
 " Two men ! " And she turned on him. " What 
 two, if you please?" 
 
 "Well," somewhat dazed by the onslaught, 
 " er er me for one " 
 
 " Stuff ! " said the girl. "And ? " 
 
 "I think I'll " 
 
 "And who else, sir?" 
 
 " Fve been told by several that his name is is 
 Chisham." 
 
 Not a word did she say. But she looked straight 
 at him with blazing eyes. 
 
 "May I congratulate him?" asked Sedley 
 doubtfully. 
 
 The beautiful eyes closed to a narrow line as 
 she said: 
 
 "I think, Mr. Sedley, that again you are using 
 a handle you have over me to " 
 
 "Miss Mortimer," said the man very quietly, 
 but with a white face, " that is the second time 
 you have said the most unjust thing ytm could 
 109
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 say to me." He lifted his hat. " I will take good 
 care you do not have an opportunity to repeat it." 
 And Khartoun leaped off the road into the field 
 in amazement at having spurs used on him in such 
 fashion.
 
 XV 
 
 THAT night after dinner, after they had gone 
 up stairs for the night, Mrs. Braveur sat for a 
 moment before her dressing-table preparing to 
 undress. Something was wrong, she knew. 
 What it was she could not imagine. She merely 
 put two and two together, as woman will, until 
 the end of the world. Edith Mortimer had been 
 gay. Edith was so no longer. Edith had 
 seemed to enjoy Chisham's society. Edith did so 
 no longer. Edith had gone out to ride, sad, 
 thoughtful, and dispirited. Edith had returned 
 with two pink spots on her cheeks and it was plain 
 to anyone to any woman that she had met 
 someone and been seriously stirred. 
 
 Lucy decided that it must be a man. No woman 
 
 could have turned things so topsy turvy. At this 
 
 point she got up and went and knocked at Edith's 
 
 door. In a moment the two were discussing things 
 
 in
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 in general, the events of the day, and men, as they; 
 frequently did. 
 
 "Tell me, Lucy," said the girl finally, "what 
 sort of a man Mr. Chisham is." 
 
 "Why, he's very nice not very vigorous" 
 hesitating, watching and guessing "not very 
 charming er not the kind of man I think I 
 should marry er would you ? " 
 
 " I shouldn't think so," looking down at the rug. 
 
 " He's an absolute contrast to Tom Sedley, for 
 instance " a pause. 
 
 "Is he?" 
 
 "Don't you think so?" 
 
 "I don't know Mr. Sedley at all well" Still 
 examining the rug. 
 
 "Why don't you like Tom, dear? Has he 
 offended you ? " 
 
 " I don't like or dislike him. That is, I " 
 
 "Did his accounts of Miss Holmes " 
 
 " I don't know anything about Miss Holmes, 
 Lucy. I " 
 
 " I know ! I know ! I think, though, that this 
 Miss Holmes is some invention of his to cover up 
 
 something perhaps to protect some girl " 
 
 112
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Who?" asked Edith quickly. 
 
 "I haven't the remotest idea. But if some girl 
 has done anything to my Tom Sedley and he is 
 bearing the brunt of it, she's perfectly safe. He 
 would die rather than expose her." 
 
 "Would he?" 
 
 " Can't you see that he would, just from the 
 look in his face?" 
 
 Edith certainly could see her hostess, for she 
 was gazing fixedly at her. 
 
 " And suppose this Miss Holmes had done some- 
 thing she she well, say she wanted to conceal." 
 
 "Then she could safely rely on him to con- 
 ceal it." 
 
 "Without asking him to?" 
 
 "Without asking him to. Only she'd owe him 
 some thanks, I think." 
 
 " Of course. Yet whoever she is, I don't see how 
 she could thank a man for such a thing." 
 
 " Oh, there are lots of ways." 
 
 "Such as " 
 
 " Such as being kind and nice to him," Edith 
 thought of the afternoon " such as having him 
 to tea and dinner " that was of course impos-
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 sible " or showing him in some in any of a 
 million indirect ways that she appreciated what 
 he was doing." 
 
 How could she show him in any such way, 
 thought the girl after Mrs. Braveur had left her 
 and gone to her own room smiling how could 
 she, when Sedley carefully kept away from her? 
 
 Then suddenly an idea occurred to her. She 
 sat bolt upright an instant, and then, as a bright 
 glow spread over her face, she smiled to herself, 
 and leaned back in her chair and gave herself up 
 to musings pleasant musings, one would say, 
 since she still smiled and the bright colour in her 
 cheeks spread to her fair throat and still she 
 mused on. 
 
 114
 
 XVI 
 
 SEDLEY sat by the fire in his big room. It was 
 no use ; he could not help it. Day after day he 
 worried over his behaviour. For four days he had 
 not seen her, and, ass that he was, he hadn't the 
 nerve to come down from his high horse. So ran 
 his thoughts on this late afternoon after sunset 
 when the bell rang. 
 
 He heard Maggie cross the room to the door; 
 he heard some whispering, and then the door closed. 
 
 "What is it?" he asked without turning his 
 head. 
 
 " This, sir." He turned quickly at the tone in 
 the maid's voice and saw her standing there holding 
 a gray riding-gauntlet. 
 
 He jumped to his feet. 
 
 "Did that come just now?" 
 
 "Yes, sir." 
 
 "Who left it?" 
 
 " She told me not to tell, sir oh, Mr. Sedley,
 
 sir " but he had disappeared through one of 
 
 the long windows, cleared the piazza with a jump 
 and, counting on the long curved avenue, was 
 making hard for the gateway down the steep and 
 shrub-covered hill. 
 
 He was just in time, for, as he jumped down 
 from a big retaining wall on to the road, he heard 
 the sharp click of a trotting horse. Without a 
 moment's hesitation he stepped out and grasped 
 Ladysmith's rein. There came a frightened cry 
 from above in the dusk. 
 
 "It's all right," said he. 
 
 " You ! " cried the girl in a voice that expressed 
 volumes. 
 
 "Yes. Comeback." 
 
 " No, no, I can't I won't. Please let me go ! " 
 
 He had already turned the horse, and something 
 in his manner made her sit quietly until he lifted 
 her down at his door. They were in the room 
 now. She looked up at him. 
 
 " Sit down, and don't say a word," he com- 
 manded. "Maggie, tea." 
 
 "Yes, sir," said Maggie with the tea tray in 
 her hand. 
 
 116
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Will you give me some tea, Miss Mortimer?" 
 and he watched a shaking hand prepare it. Then 
 she handed him a cup, but would not look at him, 
 and the hand trembled so that the cup rattled in 
 the saucer. 
 
 " Now have some yourself." And she poured 
 out a cup. 
 
 "Drink it." And she did, never lifting her 
 eyes from the tray. 
 
 "Miss Mortimer, I have been sitting here four 
 nights without being man enough to come and 
 apologise." 
 
 " Never mind," breathed the girl. 
 
 " It is mind. I'm a stuck up " 
 
 " Please don't " still gazing at the brass 
 
 kettle. 
 
 " Wait ! I'm going to tell the whole story." 
 
 "I understand " 
 
 "No, you don't. I couldn't come and see I 
 couldn't write but one thing, and that could not 
 be written to a girl who was who was " 
 
 " As mean as I am ? " suddenly looking up at 
 him with tears in her eyes. 
 
 "Good Lord! don't you understand " 
 
 117
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "What?" 
 
 " To a girl who was engaged to another 
 man." 
 
 "But I'm not- -" 
 
 " I know ! I know ! I knew it the moment I saw 
 
 that glove What is it, Maggie ? " he cried 
 
 suddenly. 
 
 " The toast, sir." 
 
 " Well, drop it ! Go away ! Hide, Maggie, till 
 I come and find you ! " 
 
 "Oh, sir," cried the scared maid, and she forth- 
 with dropped the unoffending toast, plate and all, 
 on the floor. Then she fled. 
 
 His sudden unreasoning wrath and what came 
 of it brought on the climax. The high-strung 
 girl began to laugh, leaning back on the sofa and 
 then forward with her face in her hands. And 
 then the tears came and she put her head on his 
 shoulder and cried and cried and laughed again, 
 until he howled for Maggie and whiskey and hot- 
 water bottles. And finally she grew quieter and 
 neither of them spoke as they sat on the sofa by 
 the fire. 
 
 "What is it?" said he. 
 118
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Suppose," murmured the girl, "someone 
 should see us " 
 
 " Well, it's time someone did." 
 
 " But here in this house." 
 
 " They'll get used to it." 
 
 "What do you mean?" said she, straightening 
 up. 
 
 " You don't get outside these four walls 
 again." 
 
 " Tom Sedley, you are certainly the craziest 
 person I ever saw." 
 
 " That's a nice way to begin married life." 
 
 " I must go back this minute." 
 
 " But, dear heart, I can't trust you out of my 
 sight again." 
 
 "You wouldn't want people to say that your 
 that I had actually chased you into your own 
 house ? " 
 
 " I might not want them to say it," chuckled 
 Thomas, "but I couldn't deny it if they did say 
 it, could I?" 
 
 " That isn't fair now, is it ? " 
 
 " No, dear, but I'm so afraid you'll fly away, or 
 that Chisham will capture you." 
 119
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Poor Peter. I think I'm afraid that first 
 afternoon er opened my eyes." 
 
 "Did you like it?" 
 
 "Yes, dear," smiling up at him, "and I I 
 wanted to stay to dinner." 
 
 " Will you stay now ? " 
 
 "Goodness me! It would be worse than ever 
 now ! " 
 
 " Will you like to live in this house ? " 
 
 "You'll have to have a sewing-room," criti- 
 cally. 
 
 "Yes, dear," meekly. 
 
 "And there must be closets without shelves 
 where dresses can hang." 
 
 "Yes, dear." Without a quiver. 
 
 "It's high time, sir, that I was back under the 
 wing of propriety in the person of Mrs. Ben. 
 And this time you must go all the way down with 
 me." 
 
 "Will you ever come back?" 
 
 "Do you doubt the damsel still?" 
 
 They stood now by the door, the horses waiting. 
 
 " Couldn't the cavalier have some favour from 
 the damsel this time?" plaintively. 
 
 1 2O
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "My dear," said she, gently lifting her face 
 to his. 
 
 That episode was never told. Mrs. Braveur's 
 opinion of her friend, Tom Sedley, was a correct 
 one. Nobody ever knew. But when the engage- 
 ment was announced there was another argument 
 between husband and wife when Lucy claimed to 
 have made the match. And when Jim asked for 
 proof she only laughed at him and said : " Never 
 you mind. I know what I know and I can guess 
 the rest." 
 
 "Nevertheless, Lucy," said her husband, "I 
 wish you to understand that there is to be no more 
 matchmaking in this house." 
 
 "Matches are made in heaven, Jim, dear," 
 replied his wife modestly. 
 
 " Well, they burn in the house all right. Before 
 you know, you'll get a name for it, and nobody 
 will come to stay with us that is, no men." 
 
 " How silly ! It isn't the men who would stay 
 away. However, I promise." 
 
 And she kept her word for a year. 
 
 Then something dreadful happened. 
 
 121
 
 <3* <S* <SS> 
 
 XVII 
 
 <MS>^ 
 
 THEY had had a house party of a dozen people 
 and everybody had gone except pretty and rather 
 vexatious little Eleanor Marsten, one of Mrs. 
 Braveur's young protegees. And this certainly 
 was not done by Lucy. If Heaven did not take 
 a hand then it was the other place. 
 
 Jim had walked over to the club after dinner with 
 Miss Marsten to get her cloak, left there in the 
 afternoon, and she stood by the window in the lady's 
 parlour waiting while Braveur went for some 
 cigars. 
 
 That was where the trouble began. And to 
 be perfectly honest it seems more like the agency 
 of well, not of Heaven, anyway. For as she 
 stood there this is what she heard coming in from 
 the piazza by means of the open window : " As a 
 rule, John, I'm not given to making bets about a 
 lady, especially in a club, even if " 
 
 "Oh, don't put on your company airs, man. 
 122
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 You make a bald statement that any woman is 
 glad to run at fifty or more to the hour " 
 
 " I do." 
 
 " And I say I'll bet you an even three hundred 
 that I know one you can't get to go twenty miles 
 in two hours." 
 
 "And I say 'stuff,' Johnny. They don't make 
 'em. Every woman is a natural gambler, only 
 controlled by civilisation. They all like chance 
 and risks, and most of 'em are game." 
 
 "Well, Stanley, I repeat- -" 
 
 " Is she near here ? " 
 
 " She's staying at the Braveurs', I think now." 
 
 "She's a she's well bred and all that?" 
 
 "Good Lord, man, she's beautiful, highbred, 
 and, as you say, I think she's game." 
 
 "Who is it?" 
 
 "Miss Eleanor Marsten." 
 
 Was the curtain moved by the night wind? 
 Neither took note of it as they smoked in silence. 
 
 "All right, then, as I don't know her, I'll call 
 your little bluff." 
 
 "Good! It's a go, then. This is the tenth of 
 July. If, on August ten at let's see, it's nine 
 123
 
 o'clock now if at nine o'clock on the night of 
 August ten you have not carried Miss Eleanor 
 Marsten twenty miles in two hours, or less, in your 
 darned old filthy-smelling engine, you, Stanley 
 Gardner, pay me three hundred here at the club 
 at five minutes after. If on the other hand you 
 do, I present you with a check for the same 
 amount." 
 
 " Done," said Gardner, as a rustle behind them 
 which they took to be the wind, if they noticed it 
 at all, gave the only sign of the hasty movement 
 of a slight figure that moved across the room and 
 out upon the back lawn. 
 
 44 Oh!" breathed the soul of the girl as she 
 almost ran toward the Braveurs' house. "Oh, to 
 think of it!" And she stopped on the dark lawn 
 and put both hands to her face " To think of it ! 
 the insult two men betting about me in a 
 club in a club!" A small foot came down upon 
 the unoffending grass "Oh, it is dreadful! 
 dreadful!" 
 
 Mrs. Braveur looked up from her book as the 
 girl entered the library. 
 
 " Did you get your cloak Eleanor ! " she cried 
 124
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 suddenly. "What is the matter? Have you seen 
 a ghost?" 
 
 "No, dear, not exactly. I ran over the lawn 
 and left your respected husband talking." 
 
 " Jim ought to be ashamed of himself for letting 
 you come over alone." 
 
 "Oh, I don't need a man to look out for me!" 
 said Miss Marsten meaningly. "All men are 
 beasts, I think." 
 
 "Eleanor!" 
 
 "Dear Lucy, I don't refer to your Jim. He 
 hadn't the least idea I was going to run away. 
 In fact I suppose he's waiting there for me now." 
 
 "I'm glad you don't include poor Jim among 
 your beasts," and Mrs. Braveur looked pensive for 
 a moment. 
 
 "They are beasts dreadful reptiles!" 
 
 "Why Eleanor Marsten!" 
 
 There was a moment's pause. 
 
 "Lucy, who is Stanley Gardner?" 
 
 " Stanley ? Why he lives at the club a good 
 deal, sometimes at his sister's, Mrs. Winthrop. 
 He's " 
 
 " Is he a decent person ? " 
 125
 
 X BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Dear child, what do you mean? Stanley is a 
 hard-working, wealthy bachelor, and he's cer- 
 tainly no beast. He's a very good catch. I like 
 him very " 
 
 "Youfehim?" 
 
 " I should say I did ! " laughed Lucy, looking 
 up at her husband as he came in and laying her 
 hand softly on his sleeve. " If I hadn't seen Jim 
 first, there's no knowing what might have hap- 
 pened." 
 
 " Jingo ! " said Braveur. " What I've missed ! " 
 
 " Jim, dear, that isn't nice ! " 
 
 "Well, you began it. Look here, young lady, 
 where did you run to ? " 
 
 " Across the lawn to this house," answered Miss 
 Marsten. 
 
 "Eleanor's seen a ghost, Jim." 
 
 "Poor ghost! I suppose he's lost his 
 heart " 
 
 "How silly!" said his wife. "Listen! She's 
 seen a ghost, and says men are beasts, and wants 
 to know if Stanley Gardner is decent." 
 
 " Seems to be a thread there," mused Braveur. 
 " What has Stanley done to you ? " 
 126
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 *' I never even saw him," sniffed the young lady. 
 
 " Look out, young woman, he's a heart -breaker." 
 
 "Is he so?" Eleanor laughed scornfully. 
 " Well, he'll never break my heart." 
 
 " What's the matter with you, Eleanor ? " asked 
 Mrs. Braveur. 
 
 "Oh, nothing. I've heard of him, that's all; 
 and I wondered if you knew him " 
 
 A servant stood in the doorway. 
 
 "Talk of devils," muttered Braveur, as Miss 
 Marsten straightened and Mrs. Braveur looked up 
 quickly. " Halloa, Gardner ! " 
 
 "Am I too late to come in for a moment?" 
 asked the visitor as the introductions took place. 
 " There's an avalanche on the way over from the 
 club." And in walked three other men. It 
 seemed warm in the house and they all moved to 
 the piazza, where Gardner found himself seated by 
 the young woman he had just met. 
 
 " Ever been to Naugatuck before, Miss 
 Marsten ? " he asked. 
 
 " Oh, yes, but not in the last three years," said 
 she. "Not since the club was built." 
 
 "It's a great addition, isn't it?" 
 127
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Is it?" asked she doubtfully. 
 
 "Is it? I should say it was. You don't see 
 the advantage of it." 
 
 " Well, no," and she spoke slowly as if weighing 
 her words. " Such a place collects a lot of club- 
 men who who rather spoil the quiet life here, I 
 think." 
 
 "Heavens! You don't like us then?" 
 
 "You? I spoke of " 
 
 "I'm one of the- -" 
 
 " Oh, do you live there ? Well, you see, men are 
 
 such dreadful things " And she looked 
 
 straight at him in the half light, clasping her 
 hands over her knees. 
 
 "Heavens!" said he. 
 
 "They're such drinkers and smokers and card 
 players and and gamblers, aren't they?" 
 
 "It wouldn't do for me to contradict," and he 
 smiled at her. 
 
 "Do you gamble?" asked the soft-voiced 
 maiden. 
 
 "You wouldn't believe me if I said I didn't." 
 
 " You wouldn't tell me so, I'm sure, if it were not 
 true." 
 
 128
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Are you so sure after three minutes' ac- 
 quaintance ? " 
 
 "Oh, but men are such staunch followers of 
 honour." 
 
 "Miss Marsten my first confidence," and 
 he leaned toward her as the others talked on, 
 " men are beasts." 
 
 "That's just what I said!" cried she, stiffening 
 suddenly. 
 
 " Just what you what? " 
 
 "I mean that's the usual verdict, isn't it?" 
 
 "Are you a man-hater, Miss Marsten?" 
 
 "Do I look it, Mr. Gardner?" 
 
 " You look you look Miss Marsten, it won't 
 do for me to give you my second confidence, at all 
 events not after three minutes' acquaintance." 
 
 "The beasts flatter now and then?" 
 
 "The beasts dear me, that's a terrible name 
 for us." 
 
 " You used it first." 
 
 "Only generically." 
 
 "You're an exception yourself, then?" 
 
 " Everyone likes to think he is he is " 
 
 "Without conceit, say?" 
 129
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Did you have wormwood for dinner?" 
 
 "I had something afterward that would make 
 any woman bitter." 
 
 " Can't I add some sugar? " 
 
 "Would you if you could?" And she leaned 
 forward quite composedly. 
 
 " You won't believe me if I say it." 
 
 "Try." 
 
 " I'd go a thousand miles to make you like me 
 I mean us." 
 
 "After three minutes' acquaintance?" 
 
 " After coming into this library." 
 
 "What do you do besides flatter, Mr. Gardner?" 
 
 "Worship." 
 
 "In churches?" 
 
 " In libraries." 
 
 "How ridiculous! Don't you play polo, or 
 shoot, or or automobile?" 
 
 Stanley stiffened for a moment and gave a quick 
 look at the girl's face. It showed only polite and 
 inquiring interest. After a moment he looked out 
 into the night and said he liked all these sports. 
 
 "Do you really run an automobile all your- 
 self?" she asked with renewed interest. 
 130
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Yes," a little absently. 
 
 " I love it ! " said the girl enthusiastically. 
 
 Another searching look at the girl. This was 
 the maiden John said hated automobiles. It was a 
 beastly thing to bet about a girl. He was a 
 cad 
 
 "Won't you take me out some time? I'm going 
 to be here a whole month," and again the fair head 
 bent forward as she clasped her knees and looked 
 straight at him. 
 
 Stanley squirmed again. He would see John in 
 the morning and call that bet off. 
 
 "Will you?" persistently. 
 
 "Why, of course," said he quickly, "if you 
 like it. I shall be delighted." 
 
 "Is your machine fast?" 
 
 " Sixty-horse power, good for sixty-five miles 
 an hour." 
 
 " Splendid ! I want to go. Will you take 
 me?" 
 
 " Certainly." 
 
 "You don't seem very enthusiastic." 
 
 " Of course I am," said he, waking up again. 
 
 "How would Wednesday afternoon do?"
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "I'll be ready," and he rose with the others to 
 go. 
 
 The next day, Tuesday, he came over to tea 
 to arrange about the ride. Wednesday he came 
 at noon to say that the car was out of order and 
 could not be used and stayed to luncheon. 
 Thursday he dined with the Braveurs, and Bra- 
 veur remarked to his wife that he'd never seen so 
 much of Gardner before. Finally on Saturday, 
 urged to it each day, he ran the huge car up to 
 the door with a hangdog look that sent a little 
 thrill through a young person in a long brown 
 coat and big hat who came out at the throbbing of 
 the engine. When she saw the car she shuddered 
 involuntarily and turned white. 
 
 " Heavens ! " she gasped. " What a terrible 
 looking thing! Only two people can ride?" 
 
 "That's all," said he. "Perhaps we'd better 
 er put it off." 
 
 " But what an enormous one." 
 
 "It's a racing machine, Miss Marsten." And 
 he smiled grimly. "These two handles on the 
 arms of the seat are for you to hold on to. Shall 
 I get out and stay a little?" 
 132
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " No, no ! " cried the frightened girl. " I want 
 I'm crazy to go go fast!" And in she 
 stepped. 
 
 He pushed the lever forward, the girl suddenly 
 gripped the two handles in real terror, and the 
 great machine began to breathe and groan as if it 
 longed to be away. Then slowly it started for- 
 ward, out of the drive and into the long flat 
 road. 
 
 Stanley, miserable in his mind, looked at her 
 out of the corner of his eye. She was afraid. 
 That he knew. Why did she insist on going? 
 
 "You don't like it. I'll stop. We'll- -" 
 
 "No, indeed!" gasped the girl. "Tell me 
 tell me all about it. What is that ? " 
 
 " That tells how fast we are going. See ! We 
 are travelling at twelve miles an hour now. This 
 little indicator showing twenty miles to the hour, 
 started at 1262^ miles. That's a clock, of 
 course." 
 
 Then he set to the second gear, and with a 
 hoarse snort the machine jumped forward, the 
 little indicator showing twenty miles to the hour. 
 
 "Faster!" gasped the girl. 
 133
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 With a grim smile he set to the third gear and 
 the poor girl's head snapped back as the car 
 jumped forward to forty-five miles. Instantly 
 Stanley slowed down, shouting that on these roads 
 the other would not do. Then Eleanor in spite of 
 herself became fascinated in watching the indi- 
 cators and the clock. She said nothing. In fact 
 speech was difficult, if not impossible. 
 
 They ran out over the smooth stone roads, 
 making a long circuit ; the one frightened but 
 determined, the other more and more miserable, 
 but with a new determination in his face. John 
 should not, could not, know. That was all. And 
 so they had done fifteen miles in a little over an 
 hour, when the girl gave an exclamation. He 
 looked at her face and suddenly brought the car to 
 a standstill. 
 
 "What is it?" he asked anxiously. 
 
 "I don't know. I think I think I'm a little 
 faint." 
 
 " Curse the machine ! " he muttered. And then 
 suddenly. "We're right by the Altwood Inn. 
 We'll stop there." 
 
 She nodded. They moved slowly forward, 
 134
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 turned a corner and ran up to the door of a small 
 ivy-covered house. 
 
 "Parton," cried Stanley. "Where's your 
 wife? Miss Marsten feels faint." 
 
 " Oh, don't do anything, please," cried the girl, 
 "I'm all right. I " 
 
 "Get out at once, Miss Marsten," said he 
 sternly, and he practically carried her into the 
 little unused parlour. Once she looked at his face 
 and that disturbing thing called conscience stirred 
 for an instant within her. Protest as she might, 
 however, good old Mrs. Parton brought whiskey, 
 tea, little slices of bread, cushions and heavens 
 knows what. Then in a moment and at her request. 
 Stanley came in. 
 
 "Better?" he asked. 
 
 " Quite recovered," she answered coldly. " How 
 far did we run?" \ 
 
 " Fifteen in an hour and ten minutes." 
 
 "How unfortunate that we did not make an 
 even twenty miles ! " 
 
 The man turned abruptly to her, but the side 
 of her face told him nothing. He made no 
 reply. 
 
 135
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "It is wonderful," said she, without turning 
 around. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " Fascinating." 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " Every woman is a natural gambler," in the 
 same tone. 
 
 "What?" 
 
 " Only controlled by civilisation " 
 
 "Mi? Marsten " 
 
 " In fact all women like chance and risks and 
 most of 'em are game," she seemed to be reciting 
 a lesson well learned, as she gazed out of the win- 
 dow. 
 
 There was no sound in the room for a 
 moment. 
 
 "Miss Marsten " 
 
 "Yes?" 
 
 "You have heard those words before." 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " You have heard me say them." 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 " You heard me make a wager about you." 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 136
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "You heard me bet that I would take you 
 twenty miles in two hours." 
 
 She turned slowly around on him. 
 
 " Yes, Mr. Gardner, I did." 
 
 The sight of his face startled her. He got up 
 and walked across the room and came back stand- 
 ing before her. 
 
 " You know, then, that I am a cad, and by God ! 
 I know it now, too ! " 
 
 " It seems you add swearing to your other 
 virtues," she said coldly. 
 
 " I beg your pardon. I I didn't really know 
 what I was saying," and with an apology he left 
 the room for a moment. When he came back she 
 looked at him with another expression in her 
 face. 
 
 " Do you feel well enough to start back ? " he 
 asked quietly. 
 
 " Yes, oh yes," she answered a little uncertainly. 
 Something frightened her. 
 
 At the door of the inn stood a horse and run- 
 about. 
 
 " But where is the automobile ? " 
 
 "We will drive home." 
 137
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "We will do nothing of the sort!" And her 
 voice rose to a higher pitch. 
 
 " We must. The car is broken down." 
 
 "Mr. Gardner, that is not the truth." 
 
 " I beg of you to drive home." 
 
 "How far is it?" 
 
 " Not far." 
 
 " Hvw far is it? " 
 
 " Twelve miles." 
 
 " How ridiculous ! " cried the girl in a trembling 
 voice, putting her hand quickly to her lips. "I 
 I will go in the automobile, or walk." 
 
 He turned quickly toward her, but something 
 in her eyes made him stop, as she said in a strained 
 voice : 
 
 "Are you chivalrous enough this time to con- 
 sider a woman's feelings?" 
 
 Without a word he signed to the man to lead the 
 horse aside, went to the machine and brought it 
 to the steps. He helped her in, got in himself, 
 and the car moved slowly homeward. 
 
 Twice she spoke in an uncertain voice. Twice 
 he answered quietly, but in a way that closed the 
 subject. Neither spoke again till thev ran up to 
 138
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 the Braveurs' door. Instead of getting out 
 she brushed the dust absently from her lap and 
 without raising her eyes said: 
 
 "You haven't been very entertaining coming 
 home, have you ? " 
 
 " I I shall I help you out ? " 
 
 " Are you angry ? " looking now up at him. 
 
 "Angry!" cried the man. "How could I be?'* 
 
 " Are you sorry ? " smiling a little doubtfully 
 at him. 
 
 He turned to her and something in his glisten- 
 ing black eyes made her hold the look. 
 
 "Miss Marsten, if I could ever tell you how I 
 regret the thing really, if I could in any way 
 you would not begin to understand even then how 
 thoroughly I've learned my lesson. I good- 
 night!" he added abruptly, and she stood on the 
 steps watching the monster swing out of the 
 avenue and fly toward the road. And standing 
 there she said to herself: "I wonder if it paid 
 after all." 
 
 139
 
 XVIII 
 
 ''YOU answer letters promptly, don't you?" 
 said Eleanor a week later. 
 
 "I have been away," and he watched her care- 
 fully as she gave him a slender hand to hold a 
 moment. 
 
 "Where?" 
 
 "On a pilgrimage." 
 
 "Why didn't you come here sooner when you 
 knew after - " 
 
 " Because I have been away," he answered 
 quietly. 
 
 "Would you have come now if I had not writ- 
 ten you?" 
 
 "Do you think I would?" 
 
 "Then you are here against your will?" 
 
 " Common politeness you know - " 
 
 "Your idea of politeness varies." 
 
 " Did you send for me to probe - " 
 
 "I didn't send for you." 
 140
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "I mean " 
 
 " I wrote for Lucy to say that she would be 
 glad to see you at tea this afternoon. She was 
 so busy she couldn't " 
 
 He looked around the veranda. 
 
 "Is she still busy? Halloa, John!" 
 
 The newcomer shook hands, sat down, and took 
 his tea like a little man. 
 
 "We were discussing the value of having em- 
 ployment, John, when you joined us." 
 
 "Ah, were you? You didn't appear to be 
 pushing any job very hard yourselves." 
 
 " Employment in others, John," Gardner cor- 
 rected mildly. 
 
 "It's pretty near time for you to get busy on 
 our little matter." 
 
 Gardner's manner changed immediately. "Let 
 it rest, John," said he. 
 
 "Oh, well, I must have my little fun. Don't 
 you think so, Miss Marsten ? " 
 
 " I suppose so, though I'm at sea now." 
 
 "Well, Stanley," Gardner made a sudden 
 movement, " it's all right, old man merely gen- 
 eralities Stanley, you see, Miss Marsten, made a 
 
 141
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 wager with me to do something or pay up in a 
 month," an imperceptible shade passed over Miss 
 Marsten's face; "then he comes to me next day 
 and says the bet is off. I say ' no.' He says 
 *yes.' Then he offers to pay up the bet now and 
 call it off. I am fair. I say 'no,' again. I'll 
 give him the whole month. And now well, look 
 at him! I can't get any fun out of him. He's 
 mad." 
 
 A sudden light appeared in the girl's eyes. 
 
 " Did he try to call the bet off? " 
 
 " Yes. Low down, wasn't it ? " 
 
 " Very low down," said Eleanor, the light grow- 
 ing in her eyes and a smile playing about her lips. 
 " And he wants to pay up ? " 
 
 " Sure ! Two days later willing to give three 
 hundred to * call the thing off ' as he put it." 
 
 "John, if you had any sense of decency, you'd 
 shut up." 
 
 "Haven't any, old man bad sporting spirit, 
 wasn't it, Miss Marsten?" 
 
 "Very bad," and she smiled softly. 
 
 "You wouldn't do it, would you?" said 
 John. 
 
 142
 
 " Never ! " And the girl shook her head. 
 
 "May I have some more tea?" interrupted 
 Stanley stiffly. 
 
 " Nerves ! " said John to her in a stage whisper. 
 " He's trying tannin." 
 
 "I think something must be the matter with his 
 nerves, really," said Eleanor. 
 
 " Most decidedly." 
 
 " Because I hear he is a great automobilist and 
 he only took me one ride and then stopped before 
 we got half way and tried to drive home in a 
 carriage." 
 
 " Did he really? " said John, looking at Gardner 
 with a grin. 
 
 "Yes! And now he won't take me at all." 
 
 "The motor's out of order," said Stanley 
 quietly. 
 
 "You're an idiot, Stan." 
 
 "Why?" asked Miss Marsten blandly. 
 
 "Why why, because But I thought you 
 
 hated motoring." 
 
 " How extraordinary ! Why, I love it. Every 
 woman at heart loves chance and risks and high 
 speed." 
 
 H3
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 John whistled softly and looked at Gardner 
 again. 
 
 "What's the matter with the car?" he asked. 
 
 " Diaphragm." 
 
 "How long does it take to get another?" asked 
 Eleanor. 
 
 " About a week. Are you going over to the 
 polo this afternoon ? " 
 
 Miss Marsten laughed. "Yes, I believe Jim is 
 driving us all over if there's room. You two are 
 coming to dinner to-night ? " 
 
 " I'm afraid I can't," said Stanley lamely. 
 
 " And you, Mr. Fredericks ? " 
 
 "Of course. Never decline a dinner with good 
 food and good company." 
 
 " You might put the company first," said she. 
 
 As they went out she turned to Stanley and said 
 gently : 
 
 "You came to tea at my request. Would it 
 be straining the influence too much if a dinner 
 request comes from the same source?" 
 
 "Would it be too much to ask if the request 
 comes from the heart of the source?" 
 
 "Yes, it would." 
 
 144
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Would it be discourteous to say that if the 
 source lies among bitterroot, I'm not man enough 
 to taste its waters ? " 
 
 " Perhaps maybe the source how do you 
 know that it does not lie among violets?" 
 
 "I haven't yet " 
 
 "Smelt the violets?" 
 
 "Well, that is a little " 
 
 " Come and make a try will you ? " she asked 
 softly. 
 
 "I'm a coward, Miss Marsten." 
 
 " So I see," said she, smiling brightly at him. 
 
 " You think violets bloom there ? " 
 
 "How can I tell? Faint heart never picked 
 them." 
 
 "Then I'll be brave." 
 
 "And come?" 
 
 "And come." 
 
 With a little involuntary movement she held 
 out her hand to him. He took it raised it, and 
 then, straightening quickly, dropped it and was 
 gone. 
 
 As she stood before the long mirror in her room 
 just before dinner, she smiled as she had seldom 
 14=5
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 smiled before. She almost laughed. Then a 
 bright little glow spread over her face and neck, 
 She shook her finger at the flushed face in the 
 mirror, gave a little feminine touch to her hair r 
 and ran down to the drawing-room smiling 
 still. 
 
 Gardner sat late that night in the club with a 
 meditative cigar. He could not join the usual 
 game. He had no wish to talk with anybody. It 
 had been a week of wretchedness for him, yet he 
 could only blame himself. The girl had taken 
 the whole matter in such a well-bred way ; there 
 had been no complaint, no comment, and yet she 
 had given him to understand that he might as well 
 try for the moon as for her confidence and good 
 will. And it began to dawn upon him that the 
 confidence of this sprightly and independent girl 
 was beginning to mean more to him than most 
 things in life 
 
 " Telephone, sir," said a boy. 
 
 "Who? What?" cried Stanley, starting up. 
 
 " Yes ? " said he into the transmitter, " Oh, 
 halloa, Jim, what's up? No, I'm still up, smok- 
 ing the What? certainly I'll be there in a 
 146
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 jiffy. What's up? All right! Right off 
 Good-bye ! " And he hurriedly put on his hat and 
 crossed the lawn to the Braveurs' house. In the 
 library sat Mrs. Braveur in great distress. Jim 
 walked the floor. 
 
 "Here he is at last," cried Lucy, jumping up, 
 " Jim, tell him quick," and the young wife's anxious 
 face was full of startled surprise and grief. 
 
 " Eleanor Marsten's had a telegram. Here it is 
 from someone at that hotel in Brenton 
 what's the name " 
 
 "Waldemere?" 
 
 " That's it. You see it says, ' General Marsten 
 has met with a serious accident. Come at once. 
 An hour may make difference' I'd like to kick 
 the dodo that sent that tactless thing." 
 
 "Where's El er Miss Marsten?" demanded 
 Stanley abruptly. 
 
 " Upstairs collapse crazy gone off her 
 nerve. But Stanley, here's the point. She can't 
 get there till nine to-morrow morning. She's got 
 to go in to New York and then run down on the 
 other line. So Lucy's got a brave idea. You are 
 to run her over now in your auto." 
 H7
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 For an instant he hesitated. "Have you asked 
 her?" 
 
 " Asked her, man ! Good Lord ! She's got two 
 maids trying to keep her alive now. I thought 
 she had more nerve." A telephone bell rang. 
 " There ! wait, that's the Waldemere. I'm trying 
 to find out more." In a moment he returned. " Of 
 course the thing's out of order. Well, what do 
 you say, Stan?" 
 
 " Why, if Miss Marsten wants to go, I'm ready, 
 of course." 
 
 " Get here as soon as you can, then. She'll go, 
 never fear. She wanted to drive, or walk, or crawl 
 there a minute ago." 
 
 Gardner was gone before he'd finished. Twenty 
 minutes later the huge machine with its five 
 acetylene eyes stopped at the door. 
 
 " Jim," said Stanley uncertainly, as the former 
 appeared at the door with the poor girl clothed in 
 a long dark coat and heavily veiled, " do you think 
 you'd better run her over yourself?" 
 
 "Gad, man, what's the why I couldn't run 
 the thing in the night at all. Why ? " 
 
 " I thought, perhaps," turning to Miss Marsten,
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 who stood with Lucy's arms about her, " Mis& 
 Marsten might prefer " 
 
 His answer came from the girl herself in a voice 
 that quivered with grief and excitement. 
 
 " I can't go, Lucy, if he doesn't want to take 
 me. I'll I'll stay, and try to- -" 
 
 Stanley was out on the steps in a moment. 
 
 " Get in at once," said he quickly, and before 
 she realised what had happened he had lifted her 
 into the seat and wrapped a thick felt apron about 
 her. Then in the same tone, " Can you stand the 
 high speed?" 
 
 " I can bear anything but delay. We've lost so 
 much time now." 
 
 " Don't worry, please," said Stanley contritely, 
 
 "we'll get there all right. I only meant 
 
 Good-bye, people ! " 
 
 " Don't try too much speed, Stan," called Jim, 
 as he and his wife watched the searchlights spring 
 from tree to tree as they moved out of the avenue. 
 
 " What do you think, Jim ? " asked Mrs. 
 Braveur. 
 
 "Think? I think he'll get her there pretty 
 quick if they aren't killed on the road." 
 149
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Stupid. I don't mean that. I mean what do 
 you think she's at." 
 
 " She's at the door of a nervous breakdown. I'm 
 glad we've got her out of the house." 
 
 " I don't think she'll break down," said Lucy, 
 smiling, and her husband could not get another 
 word out of her on the subject. 
 
 Meantime the two young people were in the road 
 in a few moments. Then he turned to her. " Listen 
 carefully now, please. Hold hard with that hand 
 so now take hold of this bulb that's it 
 press " a hoarse note sounded " and again. 
 Keep pressing that every few seconds. If any- 
 thing goes wrong, touch my arm. I can't pay any 
 attention to you at all. Can you stand it?" 
 
 "Yes," said a voice that vibrated with emo- 
 tion. 
 
 " Will you stop me if I go too fast ? " 
 
 "Yes. But please go Oh, won't you get me 
 there?" 
 
 " Never fear, Miss Marsten," he answered 
 grimly. " I'll get you there, or bust." 
 
 The car jumped forward an instant. Then 
 again to a faster speed; and then with a wild 
 150
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 whirl it seemed to fly from a stationary position 
 as he pushed the lever forward to the fourth gear. 
 The man leaned low over his wheel with his eyes 
 fastened on the stretch of road that showed before 
 the lamps. The girl crouched against him 
 involuntarily. 
 
 A hand suddenly closed over hers in the dark- 
 ness, lifted it and placed it on the horn bulb. 
 Immediately she remembered and began squeezing 
 it, her eyes fixed on the bright spot of road, too. 
 Everywhere, all else was blackness. Suddenly into 
 the light rushed something, and after it was gone 
 she remembered that it was a cart with one horse. 
 
 There appeared to be no wind, no noise, no light 
 nor darkness nothing on earth but that white 
 streak of road, always the same, into which flew a 
 house, a fence, a tree, a cart that was gone before 
 it could be recognised or placed in her brain. It 
 seemed as if she could not stand the strange silence. 
 There was no world except within the car. There 
 was nothing behind, only always something un- 
 known in front the strange, fascinating chance 
 of something that might come into that white area 
 and for once be dead ahead instead of on one side.
 
 It seemed as if she could not bear it. She wanted 
 to cry out she did. 
 
 " Do I blow hard enough ? " 
 
 The round-shouldered figure beside her never 
 moved. 
 
 She spoke again louder. 
 
 Not a change. He sat perfectly still, his right 
 hand on the emergency brake, his left hand on the 
 wheel; his jew set, his eyes at the mark where the 
 bright spot constantly opened new roadbed. 
 
 She touched his arm almost unconsciously. 
 
 Instantly the brake went down, the power off, 
 and the hot monster came to a panting rest so 
 suddenly that it threw her forward on the motor, 
 
 "Oh!" cried the girl. 
 
 " What is it ? " asked Stanley sharply. 
 
 "Why why I don't know I wondered if 
 I blew the horn often enough." 
 
 "What's the real trouble?" he demanded. 
 
 "I don't know I think" and she turned 
 her thickly -veiled face to him "I think I was 
 lonely. Can't you er talk ? " 
 
 "Talk! Why good Heavens, girl, if there was 
 the least turn of this wheel the least bit of slip- 
 
 152
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 pery road any kind of man, woman, child, cart 
 anything coming along, we would " and he 
 laughed hoarsely " we'd never know what hit 
 us." She shuddered. " But don't you worry. 
 Keep on blowing the horn. Now, look out!" 
 And the huge monster flew on again through the 
 night, rattling and wheezing and every instant 
 giving forth a hoarse uncanny cry under the 
 pressure of a young girl's hand. 
 
 Suddenly a hand grasped hers and held the 
 horn ; Stanley straightened in his seat, turned his 
 ear forward, and sat still as they flew along. She 
 did not move and in a moment he released her 
 hand. In a dull way she wondered why he did 
 it and they flew over a railroad crossing. 
 
 A light or two appeared in the black wall which 
 only their lanterns pierced the crank moved 
 they slowed down, and then seemed to fly through 
 a little village. 
 
 Darkness again, and the same dread of the 
 loneliness and the black, silent, hunch-backed 
 
 figure beside her. The machine slowed stopped 
 
 Gardner got out. 
 
 "What is it?" whispered the terrified girl. 
 153
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Spark's working bad," he muttered. 
 
 " Oh ! " said she, understanding nothing. 
 
 She watched six minutes tick off on the clock. 
 "Where are we?" she asked. 
 
 " Just outside Menton," he answered from the 
 front of the car. Then as he got in again : " Hold 
 hard, now. We've got a perfectly level road for 
 nearly all the rest of the way." 
 
 With a touch of the crank and a word of 
 encouragement to her they were off again. The 
 two bent forward, the horn screamed on through 
 the night and nothing but the fascination of that 
 stream of light interested her until many lights 
 showed far ahead and he slowed down to a speed 
 that seemed like crawling. 
 
 She turned to him. 
 
 "Brenton," he called to her, and before she 
 could even congratulate herself on being through 
 with it, they ran into a great court and pulled up 
 at the steps of a hotel. 
 
 154
 
 XIX 
 
 "WELL, Stanely, you've got five minutes," said 
 John. 
 
 Gardner merely shrugged his shoulders. 
 
 John was celebrating the tenth of August by 
 giving a dinner at the Naugatuck Club to a few 
 people, including Jim and Mrs. Braveur and Miss 
 Marsten. John had been snubbed once or twice 
 within the last two weeks and Stanley had at last 
 given up trying to do anything but wait till the 
 time was up and then pay and get the thing over 
 with. Something interested him much more now 
 than bets. 
 
 "What was that?" Miss Marsten asked, turn- 
 ing with a smile to her host. 
 
 "He's got that bet with me that's up at five 
 minutes past nine to-night." 
 
 "Tell me the bet," pleaded the young girl. 
 She was flushed and nervous. 
 
 "Never'd do," said John. 
 155
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "By the way, Mr. Gardner, the other night 
 when you took me over to the Waldemere on that 
 terribly exaggerated telegram, how far did we 
 
 go?" 
 
 Stanley moved uneasily. 
 
 "Why, I don't quite remember." 
 
 " Mr. Gardner ! You don't remember that 
 ride?" 
 
 "Of course I do." 
 
 "How far did we go?" 
 
 "I really don't know," said Stanley. 
 
 " It's a good sixty miles," said John. " Did you 
 go in Stanley's auto ? " 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 "Did Stanley run it?" 
 
 " I really don't remember," said the young girl 
 merrily. "Did you run it, Mr. Gardner?" 
 
 He looked across the table at her reproachfully. 
 
 "Did you?" She was without mercy. 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 "And how long did it take?" asked John 
 anxiously. 
 
 " Three hours and a half," said Stanley 
 promptly. 
 
 156
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " That's not true," cried the girl, surprised for 
 the moment out of herself. "It took us just one 
 hour and fifty-three minutes, Mr. Fredericks," 
 and she bowed formally to him. 
 
 "Stanley, is that so?" cried John. 
 
 U T 5> 
 
 "Will you deny that I tell the truth, sir?" 
 And the girl's face and voice were full of merri- 
 ment again. 
 
 "Come, Stan, speak up!" cried John. 
 
 " It wouldn't be polite, John, to contra- 
 dict " 
 
 "Did you do sixty in 1 :53?" 
 
 "Oh, never mind; I'm interested in Mr. 
 Gardner's bet. When does he win or lose ? " 
 And Miss Marsten's face was a study. 
 
 " Why why ' began the bewildered John, 
 "he's got a couple of minutes yet," and as they 
 rose from the table, she turned to him and 
 asked blandly, "Won't you tell me what the bet 
 is?" 
 
 " Stan," said John in the smoking-room, 
 " here's your three hundred." 
 
 "It isn't mine, John. I didn't earn it. Take 
 157
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 it to Miss Marsten, she's out on the piazza. She'll 
 understand." 
 
 "Good Lord, man, did she know?" 
 
 " Give it to her and say I said it wasn't 
 mine." 
 
 In a moment John returned. 
 
 " She wants you out there and I say, Stan, 
 she took it all right, but I'll be " 
 
 Gardner did not wait. 
 
 On the piazza he could not find her. He 
 moved to the further end. Out on the lawn he 
 saw a white gown disappearing toward the Bra- 
 veur house, evidently in some haste. He ran 
 forward and as he caught up to her she stopped 
 as if out of breath. 
 
 "Miss Marsten, will you answer me one 
 question ? " 
 
 " Here are three hundred dollars that belong to 
 you," said she, holding the money toward him, but 
 without looking at him. 
 
 "Will you answer me one question?" he 
 persisted. 
 
 "Will you take this this blood money?" 
 
 "No, I won't." 
 
 158
 
 "Then I won't answer any question," and she 
 started to move on. 
 
 "Wait a moment! Please!" he asked, follow- 
 ing by her side. 
 
 " Well, sir," and she stopped suddenly and 
 looked straight into his eyes. Yet there was 
 something in the man's face that made her look 
 down at the money she held. 
 
 "Will you answer me one question?" 
 
 "Why should I answer a question from a man 
 who bets " 
 
 "Look at me!" 
 
 "I won't." 
 
 He took the hand that held the money held it 
 tightly. 
 
 "Was your father iU at all?" 
 
 She tried to draw her hand away. 
 
 "Was he?" 
 
 "Not very. But " 
 
 "Did he send that telegram?" 
 
 "I will not " 
 
 "Did he?" 
 
 "No," with hanging head. 
 
 "Was he at the hotel at all *top, Eleanor, 
 159
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 you can't get away. I've got you now. Tell me, 
 you bad child was he at the hotel at all? " 
 
 She stood quite still now. 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Why did you do it?" 
 
 She moved away from him, alert, like a bird 
 ready to fly at the first chance. 
 
 "I didn't like being bet about," she murmured. 
 "It was " 
 
 "Why did you send that bogus telegram?" 
 
 No answer, only a guilty but instantly defeated 
 movement toward escape. "Did you want me to 
 win it?" 
 
 "I I thought it was a good deal of 
 money " 
 
 " By George," cried the man, " you've got more 
 nerve than any girl I ever knew. Eleanor!" 
 
 No answer. 
 
 "Eleanor!" 
 
 She looked up at him. 
 
 "Will you sit on that big seat and let me let 
 me er tell you a story ? " 
 
 There was a pause. 
 
 "Mrs. Braveur said " 
 
 160
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Well?" 
 "That that- 
 
 " Did she say anything against me ? " 
 
 "Xo, no!" and the girl looked up at him 
 quickly. 
 
 " Sit down here by me." 
 
 As she sat down he took both her hands in his 
 and looked at her. Their eyes met for an instant 
 and then suddenly, without any cause, they 
 both laughed, though one laugh was very near 
 tears. 
 
 "Will you forgive me?" asked the man, leaning 
 forward. 
 
 "I don't know I suppose perhaps you 
 didn't " 
 
 "And my story?" 
 
 A pause. 
 
 "My story?" 
 
 She raised her eyes to his eyes bright with 
 tears and said not a word. 
 
 "Eleanor, dear, I " 
 
 161
 
 xx 
 
 IT was a long time before that story was for- 
 gotten in Naugatuck. That a man should bet 
 about a girl he had never seen and then actually 
 persuade her to marry him, reflected on the girl in 
 the minds of people who did not know her, and 
 reflected on the man in the minds of those who did. 
 But Lucy Braveur's opinion was that it was one of 
 those predestined matches that no one except 
 Heaven had anything to do with, unless possibly 
 herself. When the dreadful bet was finally for- 
 gotten, however, the cause was not an ordinary 
 wearing out of gossip, but another and rather 
 astounding episode in the Naugatuck colony 
 which, though the constable and the family tried 
 to keep it quiet, leaked out in about three days 
 after it happened. 
 
 They were at luncheon, sitting on the piazza 
 of the Naugatuck Club that faces the bay. That 
 was a pretty scheme somebody invented of screen- 
 162
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 ing off part of the veranda and making a summer 
 dining-room out of it. 
 
 " Now that we've had a good lunch, Lucy, will 
 you kindly tell us why you've brought us over 
 here?" asked Mrs. Winston. 
 
 "It's the industrial problem of the hour," put 
 in her husband. 
 
 Mrs. Braveur nodded her head. 
 
 "What do you mean?" 
 
 " I mean," said the hostess, " that by this time 
 our entire domestic service has probably left." 
 
 "And a good job, too," muttered Braveur. 
 
 " Do you know," admitted little Eleanor Win- 
 ston, " it's perfectly terrible. I can't get a single 
 servant to do " 
 
 " Hello," said Winston. " Who's this coming 
 in?" 
 
 They all turned towards the bay and saw a 
 huge white steam yacht evidently making for the 
 club anchorage. 
 
 "She's flying the British flag." 
 
 " Some chartered yacht, probably, but I don't 
 know her," and Winston took up the field glasses 
 lying on the railing. 
 
 163
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Kitty," said Mrs. Braveur, leaning forward 
 towards her young guest, " maybe it's your lord." 
 
 "Of course. How stupid of me!'* said 
 Braveur. " It's young Lochinvar come out of 
 the East in search of his Faerie Queene." 
 
 " If you people make any more fun of me, I'll 
 I'll " 
 
 "You'll invite us to the castle once, Kitty, 
 won't you?" 
 
 " Stop it, Jim Braveur ! " commanded the 
 young woman. 
 
 "We're not in this. Who's the lord?" asked 
 Winston. 
 
 "Wait, George, I'll tell you " 
 
 "You'll do nothing of the kind, Jim," cried 
 Miss Bartlett. 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 " Because you've made quite enough fun of a 
 perfectly perfectly " 
 
 "Beautiful idyll?" 
 
 " Harmless episode, sir ! " 
 
 " But what's the episode," demanded Winston. 
 
 "Why I that is, last summer " 
 
 " George, listen while I tell you a tale of 
 
 164
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Jim!" cautioned his wife. 
 
 " I was in Nice," continued Miss Bartlett, dis- 
 daining to notice. "And " 
 
 "And as she sat upon the dewy banks of Nice 
 there came a noble warrior of the British Isles 
 stately and " 
 
 "Stately rubbish!" sniffed Miss Bartlett. 
 
 "No doubt, that's what most of them are." 
 
 "He's a very nice, unaffected man, and " 
 
 "And," continued Braveur, while his wife tried 
 to signal him, "and Lochinvar made desperate 
 love to the Faerie " 
 
 " He did nothing of the sort, Mr. Winston 
 Lucy, stop him!" and Mistress Kitty's cheeks 
 seemed to hint at a perfunctory denial. 
 
 "And " 
 
 "Jim, stop!" commanded his lady. "I'll tell 
 this." 
 
 "Oh," wailed the girl. "Here it is all over 
 again." 
 
 "Kitty met Lord Ackton you know, the 
 great sportsman." 
 
 " Sportsman ! " exclaimed Winston. " I should 
 say he was. He's the best shot in England." 
 165
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Well, he made a good shot at Nice he met 
 Kitty. And Jim has amused himself ever since 
 at her expense, you see. It seems that he was 
 very devoted, and Kitty was rather taken 
 
 " She's going to stop," remarked Miss Bartlett 
 pointedly. 
 
 "Who, you?" 
 
 "The yacht." 
 
 They watched the boat drop her big mud hook 
 and then saw two men come down the gangway 
 and board a launch. The little puffing boat made 
 the landing stage and the two men walked up the 
 steps to the clubhouse piazza. 
 
 "Why it's Freddy Chisholm," said Braveur. 
 
 " Of course, I remember he chartered an English 
 boat this spring." 
 
 Suddenly Miss Bartlett clutched Mrs. Bra- 
 veur's arm. 
 
 " Lucy," whispered the girl, " it is! " 
 
 "You don't mean to say ' 
 
 " Where on earth did he come from ? " 
 
 " Oh," cried the little match-maker, immediately 
 interested. " How " 
 
 "Please keep quiet," whispered the terrified girl. 
 1 66
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Promise me not to say a word until until he 
 comes here promise!" 
 
 "All right, dear. I won't." 
 
 The two men went into the clubhouse and 
 suddenly appeared in the summer dining-room. 
 They glanced at the only other party lunching 
 there and the shorter of the two cried out: 
 
 "Hello, Jim! how de do, Mrs. Braveur 
 well, this is very nice. We just came in for lunch 
 let me introduce Mr. Stuart." 
 
 Mrs. Braveur started. Mrs. Winston bowed. 
 Miss Katherine Bartlett, who had just caught the 
 tall Englishman's eye, suddenly stiffened. 
 
 " How do you do, Lord " but a look in his 
 
 face stopped her, and she watched him as he shook 
 hands with the others. Then in a moment he 
 turned to her and said in a low voice: 
 
 "Don't be surprised. I'm Mr. Stuart for the 
 time being." 
 
 "But aren't you " 
 
 "Don't I look like the man in Nice?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 "Then perhaps I'm both the other for the 
 moment." 
 
 167
 
 'A' BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "But " 
 
 "Are you glad to see me? I've come a long 
 way, you know." 
 
 " And changed your name en route" She was 
 not easy and naturally became formal. 
 
 " May I talk to you about it by and by." 
 
 "Ye es, I suppose so." 
 
 "Just for the sake of old times?" 
 
 " It was only last winter." 
 
 " But it seems so long since " 
 
 Mistress Kitty was a vigorous yaung person 
 with a mind of her own and she could not under- 
 stand a peer of England not wanting to be known 
 as such. If she were a peeress, she'd well 
 
 After luncheon, having accepted Freddy's invi- 
 tation to run out with him on the Many ana her 
 owner had named her that because he always 
 maintained that one should never do anything 
 to-day that could possibly be put off until to- 
 morrow after luncheon Mrs. Braveur and her 
 young guest walked over to her house to see if" 
 there were any servants left. 
 
 "Kitty, what does this mean?" There was a 
 hint of the matron speaking to her charge. 
 1 68
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "He's Lord Ackton, Lucy. Don't you sup- 
 pose I know ? " 
 
 " Did you see much of him in Nice ? " 
 
 "I I Lucy, I saw him every single day for 
 three months." 
 
 " And sometimes more than once a day? " 
 
 The girl's eyes looked down for an instant, and 
 then turned straight to her friend. 
 
 " Yes, frequently twice and sometimes some- 
 times three times." 
 
 "What under the sun was your father doing 
 all this time?" 
 
 A faint smile wrinkled the corners of the pretty 
 mouth. 
 
 " Father hasn't didn't have overmuch to say 
 about it, Lucy dear." 
 
 " I'll have to talk to that father of yours." 
 
 " Dear Dad ! " said the girl softly. 
 
 " But why does Lord Ackton travel incog. ? " 
 
 "I don't know, Lucy." 
 
 "Didn't he -explain?" 
 
 " He couldn't there. He said he would." 
 
 "Kitty," said Mrs. Braveur with great solem- 
 nity, "did do you like him very much?" 
 169
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 There was a pause as they stood on the Braveurs' 
 piazza. "You don't want to tell?" 
 
 "I don't know." 
 
 "You don't know whether you're in that 
 
 "No, I don't." 
 
 "And he?" 
 
 " He he was very silly and foolish," yet there 
 was a bright light in a pair of eyes which did not 
 meet those of the young married woman who never 
 failed to get interested in this particular game. 
 
 "And perhaps you told him you didn't know?" 
 
 "Perhaps I did." 
 
 " I see! " exclaimed Lucy as she entered the 
 hall. 
 
 170
 
 XXI 
 
 "DO you mind the shake?" asked Chisholm as 
 they sat at dinner that evening in the deck saloon 
 of the yacht as she ran down the sound. 
 
 "Not at all." 
 
 " Where'd you get this ship, anyway, Freddy ? " 
 asked Winston. 
 
 " She belongs to a mighty fine fellow named 
 Majoribanks. I knew him a little and we cooked 
 it up together." 
 
 "Is he an Englishman?" asked Mrs. Winston. 
 
 "Yes, and a fine chap a good shot game 
 for anything." 
 
 Mrs. Winston looked first at Miss Bartlett and 
 then at Lucy Braveur before she asked mischievi- 
 ously : 
 
 " I wonder if he knows a Lord Ackton ? " 
 
 The result was worth the question. Mrs. Bra- 
 veur jumped. Kitty gazed suddenly out upon 
 the sound. Mr. Stuart looked at her quickly. 
 171
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Indeed he does and so does Stuart here." 
 
 "You know Lord Ackton?" asked Mrs. Win- 
 ston. 
 
 " Yes, a little." 
 
 "Tell us about him." 
 
 " Oh, he's the ordinary sort, you know. Why?" 
 
 "Because a very important because a friend 
 of ours knows him." 
 
 " He isn't overmuch," said the Englishman 
 quietly. 
 
 Lucy was watching carefully and so was 
 another fair person there, as the big engines 
 throbbed on. 
 
 "And that friend," said Braveur, "is in our 
 midst. The truth is, Freddy - - " 
 
 " Jim ! " said Lucy. 
 
 "What's the matter?" asked Freddy. 
 
 " I am cautioned not to go on," answered Bra- 
 veur solemnly. " But nevertheless, Frederick, I 
 will say to you in confidence that Miss Bart- 
 lett met a man who bears that name, last win- 
 ter " 
 
 "Well, he must be a good fellow, for Marjori- 
 banks speaks well of him; Stuart came with a 
 172
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 letter of introduction from him, and everybody 
 knows his sporting abilities." 
 
 " He has other qualities, Freddy," said Jim. 
 
 " Miss Bartlett says " but some expression in 
 
 the girl's face stopped him there. 
 
 "And what did Miss Bartlett say of him?" 
 asked Stuart. 
 
 " He is a friend of yours ? " 
 
 " I know him pretty well." 
 
 " You don't mind the awful sayings of a girl 
 an American girl ? " 
 
 " Not at all. I'm over here, you know, to see 
 America." 
 
 "Well, the American girl is the principal part 
 of it." 
 
 "Rather!" 
 
 "Miss Bartlett says he charmed er the 
 whole Riviera " 
 
 " I never said any such thing, Jim Bra- 
 veur ! " 
 
 " Don't you remember the time you told 
 me " 
 
 "No, I don't!" 
 
 " You know, Stuart, these girls of ours are 
 173
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 always looking for titles. And when Miss 
 Bartlett met this title, she " 
 
 " Jim, I'm ashamed of you ! It isn't true, Mr. 
 Stuart." And Lucy tried in vain to change the 
 subject. 
 
 " You see, you'll have a hard time here." 
 
 " So I understand," laughed the Englishman. 
 
 " You ought to have hired a title before you 
 left home." 
 
 " We'll make up one for him now," suggested 
 Freddy. " He can be Lord Manyana." 
 
 " Something like that is necessary. Don't you 
 think so, Kitty?" 
 
 That young person had been silent for a while, 
 trying to look unconcerned. 
 
 " I think " she now said in a clear voice, 
 
 " that as a title is usually inherited, those who 
 have them would do well to keep them." 
 
 " What's that to do with this question ? " 
 demanded Braveur in argumentative fashion. 
 
 " You say I like titles. I don't know why I 
 should, but I certainly think an Englishman with 
 a title owns it. If it belongs to him, why shouldn't 
 he have it? " 
 
 174
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "That's Braveur's point," said Freddy. "He 
 says you want it." 
 
 "I want it?" 
 
 "Well, I mean American girls." 
 
 "You know it's impossible to grasp the mental 
 workings of these American beauties, Stuart," and 
 Freddy began to feel that he was leading the con- 
 versation. " They'll switch around any min- 
 ute " 
 
 "As for example," continued Braveur, "here 
 we've been hearing about the Riviera Lord, for 
 months, and now he says she never mentioned 
 it." 
 
 Stuart looked across the table, and there was 
 the ghost of a twinkle in his eyes. 
 
 "Did you like Ackton, Miss Bartlett?" 
 
 " You know him, don't you ? " 
 
 " Oh, well, you know, I'm a man." 
 
 "Isn't he?" 
 
 "Yes, but you're not." 
 
 " No, thank Heaven ! If I were, I'd tell him a 
 few truths when I saw him." 
 
 "Why can't you as a woman?" 
 
 "Because I don't know him at all well, and a 
 175
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 woman must know a man very well, Mr. Stuart, 
 to tell him the truth." 
 
 "Then you don't like him?" 
 
 " I don't like some things I've heard of his 
 doing." 
 
 " But what earthly difference can that make to 
 him?" asked Winston. 
 
 " It might make considerable difference," said 
 Stuart seriously. 
 
 " Not now, anyway," put in Freddy. " He's 
 going to marry some peach-and-cream daughter 
 of another thousand-year-old house." 
 
 "Who?" asked Stuart suddenly. 
 
 " I don't know, but I heard somewhere, or read 
 somewhere that there was a row and that he'd got 
 to give in and please mamma." 
 
 " Not if I know the man ! " And Stuart's 
 square jaws set. Mistress Kitty, angry all 
 through she could not have told why watched 
 this conversation with a strange sensation. 
 
 "He'll make a hard husband to manage, I'm 
 thinking," added Freddy. 
 
 "Why?" Again Stuart's monosyllabic ques- 
 tion came sharply. 
 
 176
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Oh, you know him I don't. But I hear he 
 can go it pretty strong. His wife '11 have to 
 accept a few things." 
 
 " His wife will have to accept him, won't 
 she?" 
 
 "And what comes with him, eh?" 
 
 "Well, I'm prejudiced. I know him too well." 
 
 "Tell us about him, Mr. Stuart. What sort 
 of a man is he ? " 
 
 " I turn that question over to Miss Bartlett," 
 said he, bowing. 
 
 Miss Bartlett was by this time quite equal to it. 
 
 "He's tall, and good-looking," said she, much 
 to Stuart's embarrassment. " He leads a fast life, 
 spends all his money, and is an abominable flirt." 
 
 "You know that, Miss Bartlett?" 
 
 " Some of it, and I've heard the rest." 
 
 " Poor Ackton," said Stuart. " I'm sorry for 
 him getting such a ragging away out here in 
 America." 
 
 " Doesn't he deserve it ? " 
 
 "Well, you know, as I said, I'm a bit preju- 
 diced. 
 
 "Why don't you defend him, then?" 
 177
 
 He hesitated a moment, looking down at his 
 plate, and then said: 
 
 " He may be a bit of a sport, you know, but I 
 don't think that is er I think he's doing 
 his best. That's something, isn't it?" 
 
 " Not much," and she rose with the others to go 
 on deck. 
 
 It was a fine, clear night, with no wind except 
 that made by the great white yacht as she ran 
 steadily up the sound towards the club. Here and 
 there the lights of craft moving east and west 
 shone out like bright yellow eyes, and the long, 
 low line of the land on either side was just visible 
 in the light of a new moon. 
 
 The lady who was supposed to be fond of lords 
 walked aft from the saloon and stood by the rail 
 watching the wake, feeling the shake of the screw 
 as it worked steadily on. She was not over-satis- 
 fied with herself, and she certainly had a grievance 
 against the person who chose to be known as 
 Stuart. 
 
 Was he Stuart or Ackton? That was wheat 
 crept into her mind. She knew he had been 
 called the latter at Nice, yet she had heard stories 
 
 178
 
 and read novels wherein European adventurers 
 passed on the Riviera for noblemen, when they 
 were nothing but thieves. To be sure they 
 usually had black whiskers, while this one had a 
 smooth face and the real Saxon head of hair if 
 there ever was one. And presently the Saxon 
 head came near her and its owner leaned on the 
 rail. 
 
 Nothing was said for a while as the boat sped 
 on. Then : 
 
 "Are you angry with me?" 
 
 "Why should I be? I don't know you." 
 
 " Of course you do. You saw me every day for 
 three months." 
 
 " I met a man called Ackton on the Riviera." 
 
 " And does a name change the man ? " 
 
 " It certainly changes my feeling towards the 
 man." 
 
 "It can't possibly be because there's no 
 title." 
 
 "You are quite at liberty to think so if you 
 choose," loftily. 
 
 " That would be silly ! But why are you angry, 
 then?" 
 
 179
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " It would not seem difficult to imagine." 
 
 "Upon my word, I can't." 
 
 " I meet a man named Smith in Europe, and 
 see a great deal of him, and and " 
 
 "And like him?" 
 
 "I didn't say so." 
 
 "You said " 
 
 " I was going to say that he seemed a cul- 
 tivated | man, and I I well, yes, I liked 
 him." 
 
 "Then?" 
 
 "Then I meet him in New York, and his name 
 is Jones. I ask why?" 
 
 "And if he cannot answer?" 
 
 " Then what can I do but say, ' He is conceal- 
 ing something. He is disguising himself. There 
 must be something wrong, and I I feel " 
 
 "Sorry?" 
 
 "You seem to think you know what I'm going 
 to say." 
 
 "I seem to think, Miss Bartlett, I knew and 
 thought a great deal of a certain girl, and that 
 perhaps I learned her ways of thinking better 
 than she knew." 
 
 1 80
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Well, in this case you're in error, because I 
 was going to say that I feel a certain lack of in- 
 terest in any man who does such things." 
 
 "Might Smith not have a reason he could not 
 tell you?" 
 
 " Certainly." 
 
 "Then why lose interest?" 
 
 " Because if he changes his name and leaves his 
 country for a reason he cannot tell me, it must be 
 a reason that would make it impossible for me to 
 know him, and " 
 
 "And?" 
 
 " If all this is so, I should turn to him," and she 
 did, looking straight into his eyes, " and say to 
 him, ' Mr. Jones, you are either a bad man cr you 
 ought to be ashamed of yourself."' 
 
 " I'm glad you like me, anyway," said he, smil- 
 ing in spite of himself. 
 
 "I don't understand," severely. 
 
 "You said in the saloon that you couldn't tell 
 the truth to a man unless you liked him." 
 
 "That's silly! I said " 
 
 "Oh, no fear! I know what you said 
 everything you've ever said to me, I think." She 
 181
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 looked down at the water racing by. "Do you 
 remember a certain little talk we had " 
 
 "Lord Ackton and I had- -" 
 
 "At tea in your father's apartments in Nice ? " 
 
 "No, I've forgotten it." 
 
 "Forgotten that I told you some views of mine 
 regarding someone ? " 
 
 Absolutely." 
 
 "Forgotten that I said then that I'd follow you 
 to Kamschatkha until until " 
 
 "I've forgotten it." 
 
 "You're a bit hard, Miss Bartlett," said the 
 man. 
 
 "Tell me, who is Mr. Stuart?" asked she, turn- 
 ing suddenly, " and perhaps I can remember 
 better." 
 
 " He is a man you were willing to receive four 
 months ago." 
 
 "Why is he going under an assumed name?" 
 
 " I'll tell you some day." 
 
 "Why bother?" 
 
 " But I'm going to," said he abruptly. " Par- 
 don me, I didn't mean that. Look here, Miss 
 Bartlett, I am, for a reason which you will ap- 
 
 182
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 prove, dropping my name for the moment. Can't 
 you trust me?" 
 
 " Why should I more than anyone else ? " 
 " Because I had hoped you thought more 
 that is, I wished you might be willing to take my 
 word." 
 
 " It isn't fair, Lord Ackton. You don't trust me." 
 " I do ! I do ! But you are one of the two 
 people in this world I can't tell this to now." 
 " Can you blame me, then ? " 
 " No, but I hoped you were different." 
 "I I wish you'd tell me," murmured the girl. 
 ;< I don't want to- -" 
 "I will tell you soon." 
 " Let us wait, then." 
 
 And they watched the boat slow down and stop 
 just off the club. And then they prepared for 
 shore. Stuart had accepted Jim Braveur's invi- 
 tation to spend a day or two with them, and the 
 party left Chisholm on board, as he was leaving at 
 once for New York with the promise of returning 
 in a couple of days. 
 
 As they landed on the float a gray-whiskered 
 countryman approached the Englishman. 
 183
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Are you Mr. William Stuart, sir?" 
 
 " That is my name." 
 
 "May I speak with you a moment?" 
 
 "Just as soon as I have escorted these ladies 
 to the club." 
 
 "Lucy, there's something wrong," said Jim, 
 after the Winstons had left, and the Braveurs 
 were starting towards their house. 
 
 " Why ? " asked she quickly. 
 
 " Don't you know who that man was ? " 
 
 "No, who is he?" 
 
 " He's the town sheriff." 
 
 "Jim, what does it mean?" She might know 
 better than he. 
 
 Suddenly Mistress Kitty remembered something 
 she had left at the lunch table and ran into the club 
 to get it. As she came out on the other side of 
 the house, she stopped suddenly and held her breath. 
 
 "You say you are William Stuart?" she heard 
 the sheriff ask. 
 
 "Yes," the Englishman answered. *'What is 
 it, my man ? " 
 
 "You came over in the Oceanic, from England 
 and arrived last Thursday ? " 
 184
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 Yes, yes. But I'm " 
 
 "I'm sorry, sir, but I have an order from New 
 York to arrest you on sight." 
 
 " What? " 
 
 " Here it is," and he showed him the paper. 
 
 There was silence for a moment as the girl's 
 figure seemed to turn to stone. 
 
 " What am I to do ? " asked the other voice 
 presently. 
 
 " You'll have to come to the town j ail for the 
 night and go up with me to the city in the 
 morning." 
 
 " Can't you take my word that I'll come to you 
 in the morning?" 
 
 " No, sirree ! I can't." 
 
 *' Can I pay something and get bail ? " 
 
 " Not on this order." 
 
 Another pause. 
 
 "Then I'll go with you, but please let us go as 
 quietly as possible." 
 
 There she stood silently watching the two 
 
 figures walking down the avenue. Jail ! Jail ! 
 
 An assumed name, and a telegram from police 
 
 headquarters in New York! The man must be a 
 
 185
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 murderer escaped from England. How horrible! 
 and she had she had known him well and told 
 him of herself, and he had it was horrible! 
 horrible! She put her hands to her hot face and 
 ran across the lawn to the Braveurs', and went up 
 to her room. 
 
 186
 
 XXII 
 
 THE girl was no weakling and she sat there and 
 thought over the months in which she had grown 
 to know the man so well, of the people who had 
 seen him and known him and now he was in jail 
 the horrid little jail that had been pointed out 
 to her in the village. She sat down on the bed 
 and put her face in her hands and thought and 
 thought. 
 
 Suddenly she got up with a strange light in her 
 eyes. She ran over to the bureau and took from 
 her purse a cheque for two hundred dollars with her 
 father's name at the bottom of it. She searched 
 further and found another. Then she took out 
 some bills and made nearly one hundred more. 
 
 Opening the door softly and finding all dark 
 and still, she put on her wrap again, tiptoed down- 
 stairs and let herself out of the house. For 
 twenty minutes she walked and ran along the 
 country road to the village, and finally came to 
 187
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 the low stone and brick building with barred win- 
 dows. There was a light in a window by the 
 door. 
 
 The girl stopped and put her hand once to her 
 throat. Then she knocked on the door. 
 
 There was no answer. 
 
 She knocked louder, and finally heard a sound 
 inside. The door opened finally and a frowsled 
 head peered out. 
 
 "Who's that?" 
 
 " I want to see the constable." 
 
 "Well, I'm him." 
 
 "I must see you a moment!" 
 
 "Who be you?" 
 
 "I am Miss Bartlett, staying at Mr. James 
 Braveur's." 
 
 A pause. 
 
 " Hold on a minute," and the door shut. 
 
 Presently it opened again and she entered a 
 little room off the hall where a cot bed showed 
 unmistakable signs of having been just left. 
 There stood the whiskered constable in grotesque 
 deshabille. 
 
 "What is it, miss?"
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " You have here a gen a man you arrested at 
 the club to-night Mr. Stuart." 
 
 " Sure." 
 
 "Well it's all a mistake. I know him very 
 well. He's an Englishman. It's a mistake, you 
 see. You must let him go." 
 
 " But I can't do it, miss. I got orders, x got 
 orders from Mulberry Street to take him." 
 
 " But I know it's a mistake," cried the excited 
 girl. "And I'm willing to to bail him out." 
 
 " I can't accept no bail. I don't know what he's 
 here for " 
 
 " But I do ! I know, I know it's the wrong 
 man." 
 
 "You be stoppin' up to Braveur's, ain't ye?" 
 
 " Yes, yes. And I'll give you five hundred dol- 
 lars bail." 
 
 " I don't know," said the man doubtfully. 
 
 "I know, Mr. Mr.- -" 
 
 " Bartol, ma'am." 
 
 " I know, Mr. Bartol, all about it. He'll come 
 back to you to-morrow." 
 
 "Will you be responsible for him?" 
 
 "Yes, yes." 
 
 189
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Will Mr. Braveur?" 
 
 "Yes. I'll see that he is. Here, here is the 
 money two checks and bills." 
 
 The constable stood undecided for a moment, 
 fingering the bills. 
 
 "If I had more I'd give it to you," said she 
 earnestly. "I'll give you another five hundred 
 to-morrow." 
 
 "He's got it," said the constable, jerking his 
 thumb over his shoulder. 
 
 "Well, he'll give you that." 
 
 " I know he will," grinned the old man. " He 
 wanted me to tote into the Waldorf Hotel to-night 
 with him. I told him there wa'n't no train. He 
 said we'd get a wagon. I told him it was going 
 on forty-six mile. He said he didn't gave a 
 that is, ma'am, he said we'd walk. But I ain't 
 dast let him out." 
 
 "Oh, it's dreadful!" moaned the frightened 
 girl. " If you'll do it for me, Mr. Constable, I'll 
 see that you don't lose by it I will indeed. 
 Please, please believe me ! " And she almost wrung 
 her hands before him. 
 
 "Come along and we'll see him." And they 
 190
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 went down the little passage past three or four 
 doors that were only iron grating, and there 
 through one of them she saw him lying on a cot 
 sound asleep. 
 
 A rattle of the bars waked him. And then 
 Mistress Kitty came near to losing her nerve. She 
 shrank back. 
 
 " Well, what is it ? " asked a familiar voice. 
 " Why the devil are you waking me up ? " 
 
 " Here's a a lady to see you." 
 
 "A lady!" And then she stepped through the 
 doorway. "Miss Bartlett!" gasped the man, 
 "why it's after midnight." 
 
 " Have you got five hundred dollars ? " she 
 asked breathlessly. 
 
 "I? Why, I don't know. That chap's got all 
 I had." 
 
 " Here it is," said the constable. 
 
 " There's six hundred," said he presently. " But 
 you mustn't bother. Whatever possessed you to 
 come here at this hour?" 
 
 " Come quickly, Mr. Stuart ! quick ! Here, Mr. 
 Constable, here is more than a thousand dollars. 
 It's all right." 
 
 191
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "I dunno. But you say " 
 
 "Yes, yes, I told you." 
 
 And in a moment they were in the street of the 
 village. 
 
 " Now," said she abruptly, " go away as quickly 
 as you can. Don't delay please go!" 
 
 But he stood looking at her with an expression 
 that the darkness fortunately concealed. 
 
 " Where's your carriage ? " 
 
 " I walked." 
 
 "You walked all that distance?" 
 
 "Yes. Don't touch me!" For he had moved 
 suddenly towards her. "Will you go now, at 
 once?" 
 
 "No, I fancy not," said the big Englishman 
 quietly. 
 
 "What more have I to do?" 
 
 "You've got to get home." 
 
 " I came here. I imagine I can get back." 
 
 "Then we've got to walk it. But- 
 
 "You must go away." 
 
 " Upon my word," he said suddenly with a hard 
 laugh, "I never got into such a situation as this 
 before two o'clock in the morning and the 
 192
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 one girl in the world walks a mile or more in a silk 
 gown and an opera coat and no hat to bail me 
 me out of jail!" and he laughed the hard laugh 
 again. 
 
 " It may amuse you, sir " 
 
 " Child, it is so tragic and yet absurd that I 
 can only laugh at it," said he suddenly. " Take 
 my arm oh, yes, you will and we'll tramp it." 
 
 Silently the two trudged along the sandy coun- 
 try road for a time. Neither had much to say. 
 Both were thinking hard. Presently they came 
 into the Naugatuck colony, and as they got under 
 the first electric light the man stopped and taking 
 the hand that lay on his arm he turned the girl 
 towards him. 
 
 "Thank the Lord here's a light at last!" 
 
 " Now you will go, please ! " 
 
 " Look at me ! " She looked down at the 
 ground. " Look straight at me ! " 
 
 She did. " Kitty, do you believe one word of 
 this?" 
 
 "I you must go ! " 
 
 "Do you? Tell me." 
 
 " I don't know." 
 
 193
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Why did you come 'way down there to-night 
 then?" 
 
 " I didn't want I didn't want you to sleep to 
 spend a night in prison." 
 
 "Then you don't believe it." 
 
 A pause. 
 
 "You're not looking at me." 
 
 Up came the tired eyes. 
 
 " I don't I can't see how you could do any- 
 thing to deserve it." 
 
 "Thank God for that!" 
 
 " But you must go away quick. Oh, won't you 
 go?" 
 
 "Very well. I'll be back in the morning." 
 
 "No, no, you must get away out of the 
 country " 
 
 " Then you do believe it." 
 
 " Oh, I don't know ! I don't care ! But I wish 
 you would go and get away. Please! Please!" 
 
 He stood gazing down into her eyes steadily, say- 
 ing that he would be back in the morning, as if 
 he had no idea what he was saying. And then he 
 suddenly put his arms about her and kissed her. 
 Before she could move he was gone down the road. 
 194
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 Mistress Kitty Bartlett very nearly collapsed. 
 Then she walked slowly, very slowly back to the 
 house in a most extraordinary frame of mind a 
 frame of mind which, of course, no girl should 
 ever be in. First she scolded herself for doing 
 what she had done. Then she was instantly angry 
 at any man daring to do what what the electric 
 light must have seen. Then she certainly scolded 
 herself for suddenly smiling in the middle of the 
 road at two o'clock in the morning. Then she 
 hoped he would get away, and finally she unques- 
 tionably discovered herself hoping he would turn 
 up again. When she reached the Braveurs' door, 
 she let herself quietly in and crept upstairs to her 
 room. There she stood gazing in wonder in the 
 mirror at a white-faced young person who had 
 been such an idiot as she had been in the last two 
 hours. 
 
 195
 
 XXIII 
 
 IT was nearly one the next noon when there 
 came a knock at her door. Before she could 
 answer Lucy Braveur entered with the most 
 astonished expression on her face that had ever 
 rested there before. 
 
 " Kitty, wake up. What is this story ? " 
 
 "What story?" asked the girl, sitting up in 
 bed. 
 
 " What story ! Why, the constable is down- 
 stairs and says that you bailed out that impostor 
 last night and agreed to have him back this morn- 
 ing." 
 
 " So I did." 
 
 "Kitty! Kitty!" 
 
 "Go downstairs, dear. I'll be down in an 
 instant." 
 
 When she reached the hall there stood Braveur, 
 the constable, and Lucy waiting in ominous 
 silence. 
 
 196
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Kitty, what is this fairy tale of Bartol's?" 
 asked Jim. 
 
 " I don't know," said Miss Bartlett demurely. 
 
 " You don't know ! You don't know ! " cried 
 the excited constable. " D' you know I've lost my 
 place?" 
 
 "How?" She was a little frightened now. 
 
 " I let a murderer go ! " 
 
 "A what?" 
 
 " That man is charged with making away with 
 an English feller named Lord Ackton and I ain't 
 got no right to let you bail him out." 
 
 " Hold on, Bartol," said Jim. Poor Braveur ! 
 His face, so genial and pleasant always, was set 
 now in hard lines, and Kitty took more fright at 
 that than at anything else. " Now, Kitty, answer 
 me quick. Did you go to the jail last night and 
 pay a thousand dollars to get that rascal out?" 
 
 " I did." 
 
 "Well, I'll be " 
 
 "And I said I would bring him here to-day." 
 
 "You did?" 
 
 "I did." 
 
 " Did you say that I would be responsible, too ? " 
 197
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 The girl was near tears now and she hesitated, 
 looking appealingly at her host. 
 
 "Yes, I did, Jim!" 
 
 Braveur stood still a moment looking at the 
 girl, and then turned abruptly to the constable. 
 
 "It's all right, Bartol. I'm responsible, and 
 I'll see that you don't lose your job. I'll see the 
 commissioner to-morrow, and if I can't fix it up, 
 I'll get you as good a place somewhere else. Now 
 go and find your man, if you " 
 
 "No! No!" cried Kitty. 
 
 "Keep quiet, dear," said Lucy, while her hus- 
 band got the constable out of the house. 
 
 " He's got till sundown to turn up, Mr. 
 Braveur." 
 
 "Never fear, Bartol, he won't turn up unless 
 you catch him." 
 
 "Oh, Jim," sobbed Kitty. "I'm so sorry, but 
 j 
 
 "Never mind, little girl, we'll fix it up some 
 way. Hello, what " 
 
 "Here, here, sir!" cried Bartol, thrusting his 
 head in the doorway. "Here's the very man 
 now!" 
 
 198
 
 r A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 A station carriage stopped at the door and in 
 walked Mr. Stuart with a companion. He paid 
 no attention to anyone, but went directly to the 
 girl who sat in a chair, gazing at the assembled 
 company with an expression beyond descrip- 
 tion. 
 
 "Good-morning," said he. "Are you rested 
 and all right? *' 
 
 She faltered some reply. 
 
 " Excuse me, Braveur," said Stuart, turning to 
 the others. "I was anxious about Miss Bartlett. 
 You know of Mr. Cholmondeley, the British Con- 
 sul, if you don't actually know him personally." 
 And he presented the other man to the astounded 
 Braveurs. "John, tell my name, for Heaven's 
 sake!" 
 
 "Mrs. Braveur, this son of my old friend is 
 Lord Ackton, whose name is Charles William 
 Stuart. I hope he hasn't been doing anything; 
 very bad." 
 
 " Very bad! " exclaimed Lucy breathlessly. 
 "If he was my son er brother I should cer- 
 tainly box his ears." 
 
 Ackton bent his head to her hand with a courtly 
 199
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 grace. But when he turned around there was no 
 sign of Miss Bartlett. 
 
 Without the slightest pretence of concealment 
 the big Englishman hastily left the hall and dis- 
 appeared off the piazza, much to the amusement of 
 the assembled company, including the dignified 
 Consul of Great Britain. 
 
 Out on the lawn he discovered a young person 
 in a white gown walking about in aimless fashion 
 and gazing upon the earth. He approached 
 she stood still. 
 
 " Shall we take a walk ? " he asked with an em- 
 barrassed laugh. She laughed, too. No one 
 could look at this huge specimen of manhood in 
 his present state of heated uncomfortableness 
 without laughing. 
 
 "You haven't any hat." 
 
 " Neither have you." 
 
 " Maybe we'll get sunstruck." 
 
 "We'll get struck with something else, if we go 
 back to that house." 
 
 "Come on, then," said she, and off they went 
 along the bluffs over the sound. 
 
 "Kitty," said he presently. 
 200
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Yes?" 
 
 " Do you remember a certain talk we had at tea 
 in Nice?" 
 
 Looking out over the water she asked: 
 
 "What is your name now?" 
 
 "Ackton, your ladyship." 
 
 "Yes, I remember." 
 
 "Oh, you do?" 
 
 "Very well indeed." 
 
 "You remember what you said to me then?" 
 
 " In a general way yes." 
 
 "Would you mind looking at me instead of at 
 the sea?" She turned with bright eyes to him. 
 " You said a lot of nasty things to me that day 
 
 "I?" 
 
 " Yes. You said I wasn't much didn't do 
 anything spent a lot of fool money and that 
 I was an Englishman." 
 
 "Did I?" 
 
 "You said you remembered." 
 
 "Then I suppose I must have said it all." 
 
 " What do you say now ? " 
 
 "I should add now that you are an idiot, a 
 murderer, and a mountebank." 
 20 1
 
 "Are all these unbecoming the man who may 
 have to struggle with your tempers through life ? " 
 
 "They are, sir." 
 
 " Then I'll have to explain them away." 
 
 "Then I'd better sit down." And so they sat 
 near the edge of the bluff. 
 
 "First, I'm not an idiot for changing my 
 name." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "Because my dear mother, who has ideas, had 
 me nearly married to a frump of a girl, and I 
 escaped out of England by dropping my name and 
 sending it to the Tyrol." 
 
 "Ackton, is that so?" 
 
 " It is, dear." 
 
 "The horrid thing!" 
 
 "Who?" 
 
 "Your well, never mind." 
 
 " Still, I'd like to know " 
 
 "Good for No. 1," said she, as she checked it 
 off on her finger. 
 
 "Then I'm not a murderer, for I only killed 
 myself and that, too, temporarily." 
 
 "Good for No. 2." 
 
 202
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Furthermore I'm not a mountebank, because 
 I'll pay back the hundred I owe you." 
 
 There was a pause. Then: 
 
 "Does your mother want you to marry the 
 frump, really?" 
 
 " She really does." 
 
 "And you came to America to escape?" 
 
 "Hardly." 
 
 "Why, then?" 
 
 "I came to America to find a strange creature 
 who said she lived on some extraordinary street 
 that only had a number," the eyes sought the sea 
 again " and as usual what she said wasn't so. 
 And so I got Chisholm to bring me down here." 
 
 "You are such an idiot, Ackton " 
 
 "Why, you just said I proved I wasn't." 
 
 "No, no, you'll always be one. Why didn't 
 you tell me all that before?" 
 
 "Well, you know, you might have guessed why 
 I came here." 
 
 " Idiot, idiot, dear ! I guessed that the moment 
 I saw you." 
 
 "You did?" 
 
 "Of course." 
 
 203
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Kitty, would you mind kissing me again?" 
 
 "Again! " 
 
 "Certainly. You did last night." 
 
 "I didn't." 
 
 "Well, would you mind beginning now right 
 away ? " 
 
 "I don't know. Let's think about it," said 
 Mistress Kitty. 
 
 "Not one single instant!" And the dinner 
 that evening at the Braveurs' was a movable feast 
 with a vengeance it being twenty minutes past 
 ten when their guests appeared demanding food. 
 
 204
 
 .XIV 
 
 finally the announcement of his engage- 
 ment to an American girl reached England Ackton 
 was in hot water in earnest. First her ladyship 
 wrote him a series of letters telling him what ruin 
 he had brought on the family and bidding him 
 come home at once. Ackton stayed calmly in 
 Naugatuck and New York and replied politely 
 and with great pains to mamma's epistles, while 
 the fair Kitty bristled with animosity against her 
 future mother-in-law. 
 
 Next came letters from the family solicitor set- 
 ting forth the obstacles to the match. These Ack- 
 ton simply tore up after reading and characteris- 
 ing in more forcible than polite language. That 
 made Kitty feel better. 
 
 But something had to be done, and so it was 
 
 finally decided that Kitty should go to Europe 
 
 with her family for the double purpose of meeting 
 
 mamma-in-law and securing a trousseau. She had 
 
 205
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 scarcely left the Braveurs' when something hap- 
 pened that upset the household to such an extent 
 that she could not have been more thoroughly for- 
 gotten if she had been married. 
 
 Lucy had arranged a small house party which 
 missed fire. That disturbed her, since she always 
 liked to get people together who would be con- 
 genial. It was to have consisted of the Catlins, the 
 Parkers, Peter Morgan, and her cousin Marjorie 
 Apthorp. But everything went wrong. First the 
 Catlins telegraphed that they could not come. 
 Then Mrs. Parker wrote she must stay at home 
 and look out for one of the children that had come 
 down with the mumps. And finally little Mrs. 
 Braveur met with an accident in Jim's absence that 
 made everybody forget the whole party. And to 
 cap the whole dreadful climax a most unfortunate 
 thing happened. It seems that well 
 
 206
 
 XXV 
 
 "GOOD gracious me!" 
 
 It was involuntary. She could not help it. There 
 she stood holding to the strap and gazing at t*ie 
 unoffending cash-box. 
 
 "Can I help?" asked the only other occupant 
 of the stage. 
 
 She turned and came back to ordinary things. 
 
 "Oh, no, thank you. I - " Then she sat 
 down and tried to compose herself. 
 
 The stage crawled slowly across Forty-second 
 Street as slowly as it usually does on that part 
 of Fifth Avenue. The other occupant knew when 
 enough had been said. 
 
 Then the girl suddenly stood up again and, 
 keeping her balance as best she could, peered 
 through the glass front of the cash box. There 
 was no mistaking the real dismay and perplexity 
 on her face. 
 
 207
 
 A BOX OE MATCHES 
 
 Then she sat down in despair. Then she looked 
 up. Then their eyes met. 
 " If I can help you " 
 
 <( T J 
 
 "You can trust me probably," and he smiled 
 across at her. 
 
 She hesitated. He waited. 
 
 "You you won't nobody would believe 
 
 me 
 
 " I'll try," and he still smiled reassuringly. It 
 was not difficult to be reassuring to such a big hat 
 and such a trim little gown and such well, such 
 an admirable piece of work on the part of the 
 Creator as to eyes and hair and troubled features. 
 
 "Why, I've just put a five-dollar gold piece in 
 the box instead of a nickel it's true, really!" 
 
 He laughed now. 
 
 "That needn't worry you. If you'll ride down 
 to Washington Square 
 
 " But you see I can't ! " and the becoming 
 perplexity returned. "I've got to hurry to the 
 Thirty-fourth Street ferry and catch a train going 
 out on Long Island." 
 
 " That can be easily fixed," said he. 
 208
 
 A BOX Of MATCHES 
 
 She looked up at him with hope written all over 
 her face. 
 
 "How?" 
 
 " Just give the driver your address and he will 
 send it " 
 
 Embarrassment now fought with the old 
 perplexity. 
 
 "But I can't! I " 
 
 " Certainly you can. These drivers are reliable. 
 Wait, I'll " 
 
 "Oh, please don't! You don't understand " 
 
 and now a dozen emotions were flying across the 
 fair face. 
 
 "But " 
 
 "I I haven't any more money!" gasped the 
 girl. 
 
 A pause. 
 
 " You don't believe it I know you don't ! " 
 
 "Of course I do. Wait! I'm thinking. 
 Couldn't you- -" 
 
 " I must go on that train ! " There was a hint 
 of tears. " I must! " 
 
 They were passing the Union League Club. He 
 moved over to her side of the stage. 
 209
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Tell me all about it quick, and I'll help. 
 Quick!" 
 
 Then she began, first haltingly, afterwards with 
 a rush of anxious words. 
 
 "I have just had a telegram that my friend i& 
 suddenly ill." 
 
 "Yes?" 
 
 "And I stopped only an instant at Forty- 
 fourth Street. Then I only had a five-dollar gold 
 piece and a five-cent piece " 
 
 "Goon." 
 
 "And and here's the five-cent piece!" Her 
 face was so serious and yet so comical that he 
 laughed again. 
 
 " But wait," cried the girl. " I haven't got a 
 
 ticket and now " and she held up the five 
 
 cents. 
 
 " Let me give you five dollars and I will go down 
 to Washington Square and get out the gold piece." 
 
 "Oh, no. I couldn't think of that. I- -" 
 
 "Of course you can. Here, take it!" and he 
 held out a bill to her. 
 
 "I wouldn't do that for worlds." 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 2IO
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Why, suppose you didn't find * 
 
 "But you say it's there. I think your word is 
 good." 
 
 "Oh, no " 
 
 "What?" laughing. 
 
 " I mean something might happen." Then 
 her face lighted up with hope. " If you would be 
 willing to let me have a dollar, I will return it to 
 you " 
 
 " And shall I keep the five dollars ? " 
 
 "You could send it to me no, no, that's too 
 much bother. I can write to the stage com- 
 pany." 
 
 "How silly! Listen, here is Thirty-fourth 
 Street coming. Take it ! " 
 
 "But, there's still five cents " 
 
 " Well, good Heavens ! Give me your five cents, 
 then." 
 
 "You're very kind " 
 
 "Here we are!" and he pulled the strap and 
 stopped the stage. 
 
 As he got out to help her, he said: 
 
 "May I hope some day to see you and 
 
 hear " 
 
 211
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 Up came the face again a little severe, a little 
 sorry, yet nice and friendly, too. 
 
 "Please don't spoil it " 
 
 "You are right. Good-bye!" 
 
 " And you don't know how much indebted to you 
 I am." 
 
 " Not a bit of it ! " And he got back into the 
 stage and watched her board a car. 
 
 At the end of the line he went into the office, told 
 his story, and waited for the agent to open the box. 
 
 The box contained nothing but five-cent pieces. 
 
 The agent and the benefactor looked at one 
 another with expressions that can be imagined bet- 
 ter than they can be described. 
 
 " Some mistake, I guess," said the former, care- 
 fully gathering up the nickels. 
 
 "Well, I'll be doggoned!" said the latter. 
 "That is the neatest thing that was ever played 
 on me." 
 
 "It wasn't your money, then," asked the agent 
 with raised eyebrows. 
 
 "Mine! No worse luck." 
 
 "What sort of a lookin' feller was he?" 
 
 " Fellow ! It was a woman ! " 
 212
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 The agent allowed himself the luxury of a smile- 
 
 " To think of it ! Me done by a pretty thief ! 
 And yet I'll swear she didn't look like one but I 
 apologise for the trouble I've given you." And 
 he walked out. " Me ! Me done by a pretty girl ! 
 I'm an ass with ears a mile long. It doesn't seem 
 possible here in my town after all these years ! 
 And she was offended when I suggested that some- 
 time we might meet. I don't wonder! And I 
 didn't know how much I was indebted to her! Fool 
 ass idiot ! " 
 
 At that moment over in Long Island City a 
 young person opened her purse for the purpose of 
 buying a ticket. Something dropped out. She 
 picked it up and uttered a cry of amazement. 
 
 There she stood, while the colour came and went 
 on her face, as she gazed at a bright five-dollar 
 gold piece lying peacefully in her hand. 
 
 213
 
 XXVI 
 
 IT was nearly dinner-time out at Naugatuck 
 when a hired trap stopped at the Braveurs' door. 
 Out jumped a young woman, who was met by a 
 maid. 
 
 "What is it, Annette? Is she is she dead?" 
 
 "Ah, no, Mees. Madame was thrown out 
 the ponies, they run away and Monsieur, who 
 is away Dieu, I am so frightened! I telegraph 
 you - " 
 
 " Yes, yes, Annette. But is she badly hurt ? " 
 
 "The doctor is there - " but the girl was 
 halfway up the stairs. 
 
 She found him sitting by Mrs. Braveur's bed, 
 and he held up a finger as she entered, pointing 
 out into the hall. 
 
 "Oh, Doctor Blanchard, she isn't dead?" 
 whispered the girl as he followed her out. 
 
 "Dead! What would I be doing here if she 
 were dead ? " The girl gave a gasp of relief. 
 214
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "No, she's all right, I think pretty well 
 shaken up, but nothing broken. Where's Jimmy 
 Braveur?" 
 
 " He's in Washington. But, Doctor " 
 
 "Well, he'd better come home. Be careful, 
 though, what you telegraph him. Don't scare 
 him." And he went back into the sickroom. 
 
 There was not a thought of anything but Lucy^ 
 Braveur for a week. Then the atmosphere cleared. 
 Her husband had come home, and Lucy was lying 
 in bed with nothing worse than a few bruises and 
 a sprained shoulder. 
 
 " Marjorie, dear, how Annette must have fright- 
 ened you that day ! " 
 
 " Frightened ! I nearly went crazy. I supposed 
 of course you were dead and " 
 
 "And what?" 
 
 "And I did a most awful thing!" Then she 
 told her story. 
 
 "Goodness, child! You don't even know the 
 man's name." 
 
 " There isn't the slightest clew. I " 
 
 "Was he good-looking?" 
 
 "Lucy! what a question! I was so frightened 
 215
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 and hurried that I don't believe I'd know him 
 again, if I saw him and I hope I never 
 will " 
 
 "What!" 
 
 " I mean I should be too ashamed. Think of it ! 
 Think of what he must have said about me what 
 he must have thought when he didn't find the 
 money. I'm sick with worry over it all this week." 
 
 "We'll find him some way," said the invalid. 
 
 "I wish I'd never gone to town that da} T , any- 
 way. I'd have escaped that telegram and this 
 awful mistake, and and the heat." 
 
 "Let's see," said Mrs. Braveur, meditating. 
 " He was to go and get the money at the office in 
 Washington Square ? " 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Well, that's the starting-point." 
 
 "But suppose they don't know anything about 
 him?" 
 
 " Well, that's the only thing I can think of. Jim 
 can go and find out " 
 
 "Not for worlds!" cried Marjorie. 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 " Jim must never hear a word of this ! Promise 
 216
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 me never to tell him. I should die! Promise me, 
 quick!" 
 
 "Of course, if you feel so. But he could help 
 us." 
 
 " No, I'm going to do this myself." 
 
 And in a day or two she went into New York 
 and presented herself at the office of the stage 
 company. 
 
 The agent smiled at the story. 
 
 "I remember, miss. The gent was in, and 
 and, well, you see, we didn't find nothin'." 
 
 " I know, I know," said she. " Did he leave any 
 word or say anything?" 
 
 "Well, you see, miss, as there wa'n't uothin* 
 there he kind o' felt you see " 
 
 "Yes, yes." 
 
 "Beggin' your pardon, miss, seems like he was 
 a little mad, and he says he " 
 
 " Yes, what did he say ? " 
 
 "He seemed to think that you that is, the 
 woman I mean what he thought you was you 
 see did him a pretty neat game " 
 
 "Oh," cried Marjorie again. "Can't you help 
 me to find him. I'll pay well if you will." 
 217
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 ** I'd do it right away without no pay, if I knew 
 where to begin. But, you see, I never laid eyes on 
 him before nor since." 
 
 And so there was nothing to be done but to go 
 back to Naugatuck and ask for another clew from 
 the detective in the big easy-chair upstairs. 
 
 They discussed it all the afternoon and found 
 no suggestion. 
 
 In the morning Marjorie, as she had for nearly 
 a fortnight past, took the supervision of the house- 
 hold, reported the needs of the cook, and received 
 orders that were repeated in the kitchen. Then 
 she put on a big white apron and took up the one 
 morning occupation that Mrs. Braveur never 
 missed the dusting of the library and the draw- 
 ing-room. 
 
 She had gotten as far as the library when some- 
 one drove up to the door. Nobody answered the 
 bell and Marjorie turned into the hall and opened 
 it herself. Then she stood frozen to the doorknob. 
 There before her stood the man of the Fifth 
 Avenue stage. 
 
 218
 
 xxvn 
 
 HE started to ask in the usual manner for Mrs. 
 Braveur. His lips opened and then stayed open 
 while their owner gazed at the apparition. She 
 was on the point of crying out for joy, when she 
 saw him glance at her apron and duster and saw, 
 too, a cold, cynical expression appear on his face 
 as he said: 
 
 " So, my good girl, this is a pretty small world 
 after all." 
 
 Marjorie turned suddenly pale and backed away 
 from him as he entered with his eyes fixed on her. 
 
 " Did you find your friend very ill ? " 
 
 The blood rushed to the high-spirited girl's 
 forehead. 
 
 " It was a nice way to eke out your wages, 
 wasn't it? And I was a country-looking chap to 
 work on, wasn't I ? " She started to answer, but 
 anger choked her and he did not give her an oppor- 
 tunity to speak. " Go and tell Mrs. Braveur that 
 219
 
 Mr. Morton is here, and then come back and give 
 me a kiss for my four dollars and ninety-five 
 cents." 
 
 " Oh ! " cried the girl in a low, choked voice. 
 "Aren't you ashamed of yourself " 
 
 " Aren't you? " 
 
 " I ! " 
 
 " Come, run along and do what I say. I'm 
 ashamed of you so pretty and so sly ! " 
 
 Without a word, but with her head up, she strode 
 up the stairs, found Annette, told her what to do, 
 and went herself to her own room. The library 
 must go undusted for that day. 
 
 At luncheon she sent word to Mrs. Braveur that 
 she had a headache and would not come down. At 
 dinner the headache was no better, but while the 
 meal was in course she went into Morton's room 
 and placed an envelope with four dollars and 
 ninety-five cents in it on the bureau. Then she 
 went back to her room and tried to gloat over the 
 wretched man, though if truth be told, she was get- 
 ting tired of living in one room on a hot summer 
 day. 
 
 Mrs. Braveur came in and found her reading. 
 220
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "It's better," answered Marjorie to her enquiry. 
 
 "But why don't you go to bed? And you 
 oughtn't to read." 
 
 " I haven't any headache, Lucy." 
 
 "What is it, dear?" asked the other in a differ- 
 ent tone. 
 
 " That that man downstairs is the man in the 
 stage." 
 
 " What, Peter Morton ? You don't mean to say 
 
 why didn't you explain to him ? " 
 
 " Because I don't choose to, Lucy ! " with 
 
 extreme hauteur. 
 
 " False pride, dear. He's as nice as he can be." 
 
 " He may be as nice as lie can be, but " 
 
 "What under the sun has happened?" 
 
 " He thinks I did it deliberately " 
 
 "That is foolish. When did you see him?" 
 
 "When he arrived." 
 
 "What did he say?" 
 
 "He said I won't tell you. Yes, I will. He 
 
 took me for a maid." 
 "Marjorie!" 
 "Yes, he did. I was dusting the drawing-room 
 
 oh, you can laugh all you like ! " 
 
 221
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 Mrs. Braveur looked at her and smiled again. 
 
 "From present signs I begin to pity him." And 
 she went out smiling to herself. 
 
 And so morning came, and as the fair Marjorie, 
 being distinctly a lively person and fond of plenty 
 of out-of-doors, had gone to bed at eight the night 
 before, she woke at six, dressed, and went out into 
 the flower garden in search of fresh air before 
 another day of prison. 
 
 The morning was all right. The flowers only 
 waited to be picked. The girl was very nearly 
 perfect. It was the fact that Morton woke early, 
 too, that caused all the trouble. Of course he made 
 for the little formal garden also, and then 
 
 "You know if you weren't so pretty " 
 
 "Sir!" 
 
 "I believe I'd have you arrested, you did me so 
 completely." 
 
 Then the spirit in her ladyship's sprightly 
 makeup took a hand in the game. She looked down 
 at the flowers she had picked and said demurely : 
 
 "I've paid it back, sir." 
 
 "That saves me from ruin, not from 
 mortification." 
 
 222
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " I'm very sorry, sir. I hope you won't tell." 
 " I'm considering," and he looked steadily at 
 her. 
 
 The spirit became more courageous. Marjorie 
 looked up. 
 
 " I'll never do it again, sir," she pleaded. 
 " What will you do for me if I promise not to ? " 
 " Anything ! Anything ! " 
 
 " What ! For four dollars and ninety-five 
 cents?" 
 
 "It isn't that, sir, it's the disgrace." 
 "Why did you do it er Mary?" 
 "Maggie, sir," said she, looking down. 
 " Why did you do it, Maggie ? " 
 
 "I I'd spent all my money " 
 
 "You're a clever one!" and still he looked at 
 her. 
 
 " I had to get here on that train, sir." 
 Morton came a little nearer and noticed the 
 bright morning sunlight in the brown hair. 
 " Did you really need the money ? " 
 " I did, really sir," and she looked at him sud- 
 denly with a most sincere and earnest gaze. 
 "Would you like it now?" 
 223
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 Oh, no!" cried the girl, stepping back. 
 
 "I 
 
 "Wait, Maggie I don't know you fooled 
 me so well once are you fooling me now? " 
 
 "Do I look like it?" 
 
 "That's the devil of it! You look perfectly 
 beau er that is perfectly honest. But " 
 
 "I only want you to pardon me, sir," and this 
 time the long lashes had to come down or the spirit 
 would have leaped out of her eyes and discovered 
 everything. 
 
 " I'll pardon you on one no, two conditions." 
 
 " Thank you, sir." 
 
 "Wait till you see if you'll grant the 
 conditions." 
 
 " It isn't for such as me, sir, to grant to you." 
 
 "Yes it is. First," and he held up one ringer, 
 "first that you'll take the four dollars and ninety- 
 five cents." 
 
 " Sir ! " The expression in her eyes ought to 
 have warned him. 
 
 "As a present ! " 
 
 "I don't need your money!" 
 
 " But you said you did." 
 224
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "I said I said " 
 
 " Maggie, look at me ! Look at me this minute ! " 
 
 " I said I needed money." 
 
 "But not mine?" 
 
 " Certainly not sir." 
 
 "Whose, then?" 
 
 "That's none that's " 
 
 "None of my business?" 
 
 " Oh, no, I wouldn't dare to say such a thing." 
 
 " You might think it, though? " 
 
 " Can I help my thoughts, sir ? " 
 
 "I believe, Maggie, that you're a very deep 
 one " 
 
 "Oh, no, sir " 
 
 "Wait and second," holding up two fingers, 
 " second, that you will give me a " 
 
 " Oh, aren't you ashamed of yourself," cried the 
 girl, looking at him with blazing eyes. 
 
 "Well, I " 
 
 "Do you call yourself a gentleman and insult 
 poor helpless girls like this " 
 
 "Helpless girls! God save the mark, there's 
 nothing helpless about what I know of you." 
 
 The girl's throat swelled with anger. 
 225
 
 " Look here, Maggie, I can't fathom you wait, 
 I'm talking now you worked a con game on 
 me " 
 
 "I did nothing of the kind! I- -" 
 
 " And I forgave you. And now I'll be switched 
 if I'm not prepared to apologise for what I just 
 said." 
 
 A pause. 
 
 " Come, come, I'll apologise. Do you accept 
 it ? " Silence and examination of the flowers in her 
 hand. " Maggie, look straight at me and tell me 
 you'll accept the apology." 
 
 "I I must go in, sir." 
 
 "Not yet." 
 
 "But I must " 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "Why, to to get the breakfast." 
 
 "Not till you've looked at me " But she 
 
 ran by him and walked sedately into the house. 
 
 He followed and entered the hall just as he heard 
 Braveur's cheery voice cry: 
 
 "Hello, Marjorie. All right again?" And 
 then he stood still gazing at the girl. 
 
 Her face was the colour of the setting sun. 
 226
 
 "What's up?" cried Braveur. "Oh, good morn- 
 ing, Peter. Here, have you met Miss Apthorp? 
 er I guess you have." 
 
 Morton gathered himself together, and then said 
 slowly : 
 
 "I've just had the pleasure of discovering Miss 
 Apthorp for myself." 
 
 227
 
 XXVIII 
 
 "AREN'T you a little silly, dear?" asked Mrs. 
 Braveur that evening. 
 
 "Silly! Why that man isn't fit to - " 
 
 "Marjorie, haven't you learned yet that men 
 aren't saints ? " 
 
 "There's no excuse for such - " 
 
 "You ought to be married." 
 
 "If marriage makes a girl accustomed to such 
 behaviour, I shall never marry." 
 
 Lucy laughed. 
 
 "You'll be married before you know it. Come, 
 come, hurry now and dress. We are going to 
 drive over to the Wintons' to dinner." 
 
 "Is he going?" 
 
 "Of course." 
 
 " Then I think I'll have another headache." 
 
 "Marjorie, behave yourself. Come, hurry 
 along." 
 
 And so the young lady arrayed herself in her 
 228
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 best and got up on the front seat with Braveur 
 without so much as a glance at Morton. But she 
 could not refuse to sit beside him at dinner. For 
 a time she talked to the man on the other side, and 
 then a break coming in the conversation, she found 
 herself turning towards him. 
 
 " Tell me about these people," said he in a mat- 
 ter-of-fact tone. "Who's the girl in pink over 
 there?" 
 
 "Miss Turner." 
 
 "And the man next to her?" 
 
 " Mr. Langdon." 
 
 "Do you stay here for the season?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 Morton turned squarely and looked at her. 
 Then his brows came together and the lines about 
 his mouth tightened. 
 
 "Have you accepted my apology, Miss 
 Apthorp?" 
 
 "Because if you haven't, it doesn't really 
 
 matter." 
 
 She looked straight at him in amazement. This 
 was a new attitude to her.
 
 "It seems that you do not confine your rather 
 extraordinary behaviour to servants." 
 
 He hesitated an instant. The matter was get- 
 ting serious for both of them. 
 
 "My manner doesn't change. It is the person 
 to whom it is addressed who is kaleidoscopic." 
 
 "And yet kaleidoscopes and variety are often 
 considered beautiful." 
 
 " So are some persons." 
 
 "Are you going to pay compliments now?" 
 
 "I shouldn't dare to pay you anything more." 
 
 "You are unfair, Mr. Morton." 
 
 "If I could discover what you consider 
 fair " 
 
 "I only wanted to be treated as a respectable 
 woman " 
 
 "What do you mean?" 
 
 "Within a few days you have treated me as a 
 thief and as a a " 
 
 "And now," he interrupted suddenly, "you 
 would like to be treated as an intelligent person ? " 
 
 "That is all I ask." 
 
 "Listen, then. I offered a lady a little assist- 
 ance in New York the other day " 
 
 230
 
 "I thought you considered her a " 
 
 "Would I have paid money willingly to a thief, 
 Miss Apthorp?" 
 
 She looked down at her plate. 
 
 " The simple facts in the case ultimately gave me 
 
 to understand that I had been deceived " 
 
 " That sounds like a legal phrase you ought 
 
 to have known that I " 
 
 " But I only knew that you looked like a lady.'* 
 
 " I am sorry that I was wanting in " 
 
 " It was the gold piece that was wanting." 
 Another pause. " I did nothing. Why should 
 I? How could I? But suddenly I came upon 
 the person in servant's costume, and no matter 
 
 how attractive, how beautiful " 
 
 "Do you think the adjectives necessary?" 
 " No, you are right, the fact is self-evident." 
 "Really, Mr. Morton, you are getting interest- 
 ing, you are so rude." 
 
 " Then I discovered," he went on calmly, " a 
 person in a maid's costume, and I took her at her 
 costume, so to speak." 
 
 "Of course any maid would steal?" 
 " That isn't the point." 
 231
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "That was what you thought, however?" 
 
 "It it that is " 
 
 " Costume makes the person ? " 
 
 "To an idiot like myself, yes." 
 
 " I don't know you well enough to pass on your 
 characterisation of yourself, but " 
 
 " So far as you've been able to see " 
 
 "I wasn't going to say so." 
 
 "You thought it?" 
 
 "Hardly 'idiot'?" 
 
 "Say a stupid man who was just imbecile 
 enough to be a good mark for a fair lady to poke 
 fun at in her many disguises." 
 
 " I didn't make fun of you." 
 
 "You gave a wonderful imitation of it." 
 
 "Not at all, I only " 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 "I only got angry." 
 
 "Because I didn't know that you could never 
 deceive a stranger, and that you could never be a 
 servant ? " 
 
 "Wouldn't any girl have been angry?" 
 
 " Couldn't any girl have settled the whole thing 
 in two words?" 
 
 232
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 "But er I you made me so angry 
 
 " That you decided to take it out of me ? Come, 
 tell the truth." 
 
 "You hurt me very much." 
 
 "I am sorry, really," and his manner changed 
 at once. 
 
 "I wonder if you are?" 
 
 " Are you a little sorry, too ? " 
 
 "Not a bit!" 
 
 " Then I'm not either." 
 
 "What!" 
 
 " I'm going to be frank some more. I'm get- 
 ting mad " A small nose was slightly elevated 
 
 on his left. "I tried my best to help a girl in 
 trouble " 
 
 "And she thanked you for it and does still " 
 
 I 
 
 "Wait a moment. I thought, as anyone would 
 have thought, that I'd been deceived " 
 
 "You know now that you weren't." 
 
 " It looked like it then. I found the person who 
 I thought had deceived me, and I thought again 
 she was a clever and dishonest servant." 
 
 "But " 
 
 " Don't interrupt, please. I know I should have 
 233
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 known you both in the stage and with the duster, 
 but I didn't and there's the whole story. Now, 
 you can make fun of me all you like. I'm not 
 going to defend myself any more." And he 
 calmly turned back to the girl on his right. 
 
 234
 
 XXIX 
 
 FOR a week the truce continued. The two were 
 constantly together. She was polite, but not 
 friendly. He was looking for any sign of weak- 
 ening on her part, but was bound to keep to his 
 view and make no advances towards a settlement. 
 
 Then Mrs. Braveur, who was as well as ever 
 again, made up her mind that something was 
 needed and she puzzled her brains in search of 
 some means. Finally one day Miss Apthorp ex- 
 pressed a desire to ride. It was at the luncheon 
 table, and without giving anyone a chance the 
 hostess agreed that she must get on a horse, and 
 asked Morton if he would act as her escort. 
 Nobody could take any exception to this and the 
 girl herself could hardly decline. 
 
 Thus it came about that these two rode away 
 together in the afternoon. 
 
 Nothing was said for a while, until Morton 
 asked : 
 
 235
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Miss Apthorp, don't you think you've pun- 
 ished me about enough ? " 
 
 "I? I wouldn't presume to punish you, as you 
 say." 
 
 " But you do. Here I am riding with you and 
 you might as well be clothed in mediaeval armour 
 with your visor down for all I see of your real 
 self." 
 
 " I couldn't be more natural." 
 
 They were walking the horses through a wood 
 road up in the hills. 
 
 " Then I am going to ask you once more if you 
 will be willing to forget my mistakes. I am really 
 sorry, no matter what I said to the contrary." 
 
 "Why, I've- -" 
 
 "No, you haven't. You're just as unforgiving 
 as ever. You 
 
 There was a sudden movement by the side of the 
 path and the girl's horse jumped across into the 
 bushes on the other side. She kept her seat only 
 by a narrow margin, and then had hard work to 
 bring him back into the roadway. Morton was 
 by her side in an instant. 
 
 "That was vicious jump," said he anxiously. 
 236
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "I don't like his looks anyway. He's in a bad 
 temper." 
 
 The girl was startled unquestionably, but she 
 was not going to show it. 
 
 "I can control him, thank you, as I can others 
 who are in a bad temper." 
 
 " I don't care an atom for your kindly refer- 
 ences. That beast has got something the matter 
 with him. Won't you suppose we dismount and 
 walk a little." 
 
 "Not by any means." 
 
 "He might easily get unmanageable, Miss 
 Apthorp. He nearly threw you then." 
 
 " Do you think I'm so poor a horsewoman as 
 that?" 
 
 "You are a beautiful horsewoman, but that 
 animal is in a bad frame of mind." 
 
 They came out on the highway and started on 
 a canter. Then neither of them could tell how 
 it happened suddenly they both realised that 
 the horse was beyond her control. Marjorie 
 Apthorp was not a nervous woman, and she knew 
 a little about horses enough to tell her that she 
 could make no impression on this one now. Mor- 
 237
 
 BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 ton, fearing another rebuff, let his horse out into 
 a full run and gradually pulled up on her. 
 
 "Is it all right?" he called. 
 
 There was no answer. She leaned far back 
 and pulled with all her strength without effect. 
 Then Peter took the risk. He jabbed the spurs 
 into his horse, gradually came alongside the other, 
 and leaning forward caught the reins, and added 
 all his strength to hers as they rushed along the 
 country road. 
 
 " It's no use," cried Morton ; " he's crazy are 
 you afraid?" 
 
 " No," gasped the girl. 
 
 "Then do just what I say." She nodded. 
 " Get your knees clear of the pommel and let go 
 when I yell." 
 
 Then he grasped her round the waist and cried, 
 "*Now!" She let herself be dragged out of the 
 saddle. "Let go! Let go!" cried Morton, for 
 she still clutched the reins. 
 
 And then in a moment he had pulled up and let 
 her sink to the ground in a rather limp condition. 
 
 "Is it all right?" he asked presently, as she sat 
 by the roadside. 
 
 238
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Yes I think so how dreadful!" 
 
 "Never mind, if you're not hurt!" 
 
 "Why should he run? Why should he?" she 
 asked in a bewildered tone. 
 
 " Heaven knows ! but he did." 
 
 "What will Jim and Lucy say? It's their 
 horse and he's lost." 
 
 "Not a bit of it. I'll go and get him pres- 
 ently. Somebody '11 stop him." 
 
 " If only they need never know." 
 
 Morton hesitated a moment. 
 
 " Would you wait here a few minutes while I " 
 
 " Yes, do, please. We could lead him home, and 
 they won't know. Lucy would be frightened to 
 death." 
 
 It was only a few moments when he rode back 
 mounted on the horse and with her saddle on his. 
 She was not by the roadside and he had nearly 
 passed the spot when he discovered her stretched 
 upon the grass near by. 
 
 In a moment he had dismounted and was lifting 
 her. 
 
 "It's nothing, nothing!" she said hastily, wip- 
 ing her eyes. 
 
 239
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Nothing ! Why you're all unstrung." 
 "No I'm not. Come, we will walk home 
 
 Then she saw the changed saddles. "You 
 mustn't ride him!" 
 
 "I've just ridden him a quarter cf a mile, and 
 it's some distance to the house. Are you up to 
 mounting the other?" She turned to him a 
 moment and hesitated. "It '11 take some nerve, I 
 know, but " 
 
 "I'm ready," said the girl, and without a word 
 he lifted her in the saddle and they walked the 
 horses three miles to the Braveurs'. 
 
 "Please go right to the stable," she begged. 
 
 As they walked slowly to the house he turned 
 to her and said: 
 
 "Miss Apthorp, you're splendid! Splendid! 
 You've got more good nerve than I ever saw in any 
 
 woman, or most men, for that matter " But 
 
 she only ran up the steps and through the hall. 
 As she went upstairs she heard Braveur ask and 
 Morton reply: 
 
 "No, Miss Apthorp said she would go up at 
 once and dress before tea." 
 
 In a few minutes there came a knock at her door. 
 240
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 She got off the bed where she had thrown herself 
 and opened it a little. There stood Morton with 
 a glass in his hand. 
 
 "Drink this all of it at once will you, 
 sure ? " 
 
 She took it, nodded, and closed the door. 
 
 24:
 
 XXIX 
 
 \VHEN she came down to dinner Morton was 
 standing in the hall. He turned towards her and 
 caught a look he had not seen in her face before. 
 Then they went in to dinner. Afterwards they 
 were to go over to a dance at the club. On the 
 way across the lawn he asked in a low voice: 
 
 "All right?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " Hadn't you better go to bed ? " 
 
 "No. I'm all right now but- -" 
 
 "Can I do anything?" 
 
 "No, I I " 
 
 "What is it?" 
 
 "I you saved me from a a bad " 
 
 "Never mind that. Come and sit here. We 
 won't go in just now." And they sat on the end 
 of the long piazza. 
 
 There was no sound for a time but the wheezing 
 of the summer insects. Yet Miss Apthorp seemed 
 242
 
 to have something on her mind. Suddenly with- 
 out turning towards him she said: 
 
 " I think I'm going to apologise." 
 
 "Don't," he laughed nervously. "It would 
 keel me over." 
 
 " But I ought to." 
 
 "Because the beast got crazy?" 
 
 " Oh, no." 
 
 "Why, then?" 
 
 " Because I've been thinking the last few 
 days " 
 
 " Never think," murmured Peter. 
 
 "About my about the stage." She was 
 looking out into the darkness and speaking very 
 softly. 
 
 " Don't, please ! " begged the man in quite a 
 different tone. 
 
 " I must. I think I was angry at myself for 
 for not telling you at once when you came 
 here " 
 
 "Look here," said Peter abruptly. "I can't 
 stand this. It's all right if you'll only not lay 
 it up against me " 
 
 " But I don't." 
 
 243
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "I mean if you can forget my taking you 
 that is my saying what I did " 
 
 " But I never did blame you." 
 
 " What ! " 
 
 "Don't you see I was angry at myself." 
 
 " Then you're not really mad at me ? " 
 
 " No o." 
 
 "And you don't lay it up?" 
 
 " No o." 
 
 "And and I can that is, it's all right?" 
 
 " Yes." 
 
 "And we're friends?" 
 
 "Yes, if you're willing " 
 
 "Well, I'm not!" 
 
 She whirled round on him, anger ready to blaze 
 forth again and then her eyes fell. She 
 looked down at her hands clasped nervously in her 
 lap, and the dim light hid the colour that made her 
 cheeks burn so. 
 
 "Did you hear?" he asked gently, as he stood 
 over her. 
 
 "Yes," in a low voice. 
 
 "Did you understand?" 
 
 No answer. 
 
 244
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Did you?" 
 
 "I won't I don't know n 
 
 "Look at me and tell me if you understand." 
 
 She turned her face up to him with eyes that 
 glistened a little. She could not speak, and so 
 she nodded her head. 
 
 "Is it all right, then?" 
 
 Still looking into his eyes she nodded again. 
 
 "No friendship?" 
 
 The head moved slowly from side to side and a 
 little smile crept into the corners of her mouth. 
 
 " And you'll never be unhappy again ? " 
 
 For answer she put her hand in his. 
 
 "Not even if we have a servant named 
 Maggie ? " 
 
 "Don't you ever mention that again, Peter 
 Morton!" 
 
 245
 
 XXX 
 
 "LUCY, I'm going out to practise Boston 
 again." 
 
 "Dear child, you'll drive that poor horse 
 crazy." 
 
 "I can't help it. He's got to learn." 
 
 "Why don't you get someone who can er 
 someone to help you ? " 
 
 " It is my teaching that is going to make Boston 
 win." 
 
 "Or lose." 
 
 "Thanks for your encouragement, dear," and 
 a vigorous little chin went up in the air as the 
 young woman marched out of the house and 
 mounted a half-bred hunter awaiting her. 
 
 She had no sooner gotten out of the house than 
 Braveur came in from the stables. 
 
 "Where's Edith Morgan, Lucy?" he asked. 
 
 " She's gone out on Boston to practise. The 
 246
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 girl is crazy about winning something at the horse 
 show." 
 
 "Thank Heaven!" said he presently. 
 
 "Why, Jim, what's the matter?" 
 
 " Nothing, except that if she's thinking of that, 
 maybe you won't succeed in getting her married." 
 
 " How ridiculous ! I never thought of such a 
 thing!" 
 
 " I'll bet you have her married inside a week ! " 
 
 " You needn't worry, sir. She can get anyone 
 she wants for a husband. She really looked too 
 pretty for anything as she rode off." 
 
 "Well," replied her husband, "it's pretty 
 near time for another. There's a month passed 
 now since you got Marjorie Apthorp arranged 
 for." 
 
 " Jim, if you weren't my own husband, I cer- 
 tainly should never speak to you again." 
 
 " Think of you never speaking again," mused 
 Braveur, with the ghost of a twinkle in his eye. 
 
 " How awful ! " exclaimed his wife involuntarily. 
 
 "Too awful for me to think of," and he ran 
 before she quite realised his meaning. 
 
 A few minutes of country road and then the 
 247
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 young horsewoman turned off into a bit of rolling 
 country where the Naugatuck Club had made a 
 rough turf track of a mile or more, interspersed 
 with jumps, for training horses and for exercise 
 riding. It was early, and she hoped to be alone. 
 
 At the first rail was a groom, hatless and in his 
 shirt-sleeves, teaching a green hunter to jump. 
 That was bad. Still, she made for the fence as 
 if no one were near. 
 
 Boston refused. A smart blow, and she brought 
 him back. At the second try he turned to the left 
 so quickly that the girl slipped clean out of the 
 saddle. As she fell the bottom of her skirt caught 
 on the pommel, and there she hung helpless, still 
 holding the reins, her head just clear of the ground 
 and perilously near the horse's forefoot. 
 
 Once he reared, and then, before she quite 
 realised what had happened, she was lifted back 
 into the saddle. 
 
 "Dismount at once," said a sharp voice. 
 
 She put her hands on the groom's shoulders and 
 was on the ground in an instant. 
 
 "What happened?" she gasped. 
 
 "That beast refused at the last moment." 
 248
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Good gracious ! " exclaimed the still dazed girl, 
 putting up her shaking hands to rearrange her 
 hair. 
 
 "Are you hurt?" 
 
 She looked up quickly and became herself 
 again. 
 
 "Oh, no. Er thank you very much, my 
 good man." 
 
 There came a surprised look in the man's face, 
 followed by an amused and quizzical smile. He 
 started to say something and then drew back. 
 She noticed nothing, however, as an idea had 
 suddenly occurred to her. 
 
 " Whose man are you ? " 
 
 "Mr. Winston's, miss," said he, after an in- 
 stant's hesitation. 
 
 " He Doesn't live here, does he ? " 
 
 " No, miss," touching his hair with his fore- 
 finger in the approved fashion; "he's down for 
 the Naugatuck Horse Show next week." 
 
 "What is your name?" 
 
 "William, miss." 
 
 "Well, William, can you keep a secret?" 
 
 "I can try, miss." 
 
 249
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Then listen. I've entered Boston in the 
 saddle and jumping classes for the show, and I 
 do so want him to win." 
 
 " Then he'll have to win, miss." 
 
 "But I can't make him jump." 
 
 " It's easy," said the groom eagerly. 
 
 " If you'll coach me and not tell a soul I'll 
 I'll make it worth your while." 
 
 " I'd like to try it." 
 
 "All right. It's a bargain, William. Begin." 
 
 " You don't feel ner scared with that 
 spill?" 
 
 " Not at all." 
 
 " Then, if you'll mount," and he took the little 
 riding-boot in his palm and lifted her gently into 
 the saddle. 
 
 " You've good nerve, miss. Don't let him think 
 you haven't. Take the reins well back so. 
 Now, send him at it good, and when he takes off 
 let up on the reins push on his withers so. 
 And don't whip him." 
 
 "All right, William. You watch." 
 
 She came on, did as she was told, and Boston 
 cleared by a foot. And then back rode the young 
 
 250
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 woman, the groom watching with ill-concealed 
 admiration her flushed and smiling face. 
 
 "Shall I go again?" 
 
 "One moment, miss, if you'll excuse me." 
 
 " Go right ahead, William. I'm in your hands, 
 and we've made a bargain." 
 
 " Sure, miss. Sit up straight, and when you 
 come up to it don't lean forward so. Sit right up ! 
 He'll go easier." 
 
 She did as he ordered and came back after 
 clearing three jumps easily. To her surprise she 
 saw William take a lump of sugar out of his 
 pocket and give it to the horse. 
 
 "Why, who'd have supposed you carried such 
 things, William ! " 
 
 " It's good business, miss. When a horse does 
 well give him a sugar plum. He likes it like 
 other people." 
 
 "And what do I get?" 
 
 "Praise, my lady." 
 
 "Is that all?" 
 
 " You're perfect at it." 
 
 "William, I believe you're a flatterer," smiling. 
 
 "Any horse would jump with you up." 
 251
 
 " I do believe old Boston is bewitched." 
 
 " Who wouldn't be ? " muttered the groom. 
 
 "Now, what?" she asked expectantly. 
 
 "If you'll try the six jumps each is a little 
 higher than the other. Take it easy, miss." 
 And he ran by her side, strangely anxious, 
 strangely interested. 
 
 She cleared them all in high glee. 
 
 "Oh, William, that is splendid! I I can't 
 thank you enough." And then suddenly she drew 
 from a little pocket a five-dollar bill and held it 
 down to him. 
 
 The man stiffened quiekly and drew back in 
 amazement. 
 
 "Oh, yes, you must! This is our compact. 
 You are to come to-morrow morning and give me 
 another lesson. Take it! You must!" 
 
 "To-morrow?" 
 
 "Yes; won't you please come, William?" And, 
 looking into the fair, pleading face, he took the 
 money. 
 
 "What shall I do now?" 
 
 " I'd give him a bit of a rest. If you'll dis- 
 mount " And she put her two hands on his 
 
 252
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 shoulders and was lifted down. There was a 
 moment of silence. 
 
 "Has Mr. Winston good horses, William?" 
 
 "Pretty good, miss, most of *em." 
 
 " Is he going to win, do you think ? " 
 
 " There's one over there that will make good." 
 
 "He mustn't beat us, must he?" 
 
 " Sure not, miss." 
 
 " Have you been long with him ? " 
 
 " Ever since he had any horses." 
 
 " I don't wonder he wins, then." 
 
 "Asking your pardon, miss, do you know Mr. 
 Winston?" 
 
 " No. But I hear he's going to win every- 
 thing." 
 
 And then he helped her to mount again and 
 they put Boston a second time through his paces. 
 
 " Now, I must go," said she finally, " or some- 
 one will see me. You won't tell, will you?" 
 
 "Never," said William. 
 
 " Not even another groom ? " 
 
 "No, miss." 
 
 "And will you can you be here to-morrow 
 morning at half -past seven?" 
 253
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Maybe I can." 
 
 "Then it's a bargain. You sha'n't lose by it." 
 And off she went. 
 
 He stood where he was, watching her as she 
 rode away in the morning sunlight watching 
 with all his eyes. Then, as she disappeared, he 
 put his hand in his waistcoat pocket, pulled out a 
 gold cigarette-case and selected a cigarette. 
 Then he said aloud: 
 
 "She's beautiful! Perfectly beautiful! Per- 
 fectly beautiful!" 
 
 254
 
 XXXI 
 
 NEXT morning he was up at six, and, after a cup 
 of coffee in his room, he rode hastily out to the 
 Galloping Grounds and waited. Would she 
 come? Half -past seven arrived, and he began 
 to give up hope. Then he saw her coming over 
 the rise of ground a little distance off, and his 
 breath came quicker as he stood waiting for her. 
 
 " Good-morning, William ! You're on hand to 
 the minute. I'm so glad. Will Boston do as well 
 to-day, do you think?" 
 
 " Better, miss," said he, touching his hair again. 
 And they went at it, the girl intent on the success 
 of her horse, the man intent on something else. 
 
 And so, morning after morning for a week, 
 always cautioned to secrecy, he saw her leave with 
 a wave of her hand. Always with a smile he saw 
 her come in the clear September air. And each 
 day he returned to the club, dressed and went to 
 town, coming down late in the evening. 
 
 255
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 On the last day, Thursday, she said: 
 
 "I'm so nervous. Suppose he should refuse?" 
 
 " If he does, don't hit him. Take it easy. 
 Trot him 'round a bit and go at it fresh again." 
 
 " I don't know what I should have done \\ ithout 
 you, William!" 
 
 "I'm glad to do it, miss." 
 
 " I've tried to meet Mr. Winston and tell him 
 quite secretly, but he won't come to dinner. He's 
 in town all the time." 
 
 " I guess he's pretty busy." 
 
 " I don't see how he can expect to win if he 
 doesn't pay any more attention to his horses than 
 this." 
 
 " Well, he leaves it pretty much to me, you see." 
 
 " And he's wise," she nodded to him. " I don't 
 believe he half appreciates you. If you ever want 
 another place, William, you come to me." 
 
 " Maybe I'll come sooner than you think." 
 
 " I mean it. Remember that." 
 
 " I'll never forget, miss." 
 
 "And now to our business. This is the last 
 day. To-morrow is the show, and I want you to 
 take this." And she held out another bill. 
 256
 
 The groom stepped back. 
 
 "You must, William; I- -" 
 
 " I couldn't. I ought not to have taken the 
 other." 
 
 " But why not ? " 
 
 " It won't do, you see. I couldn't take money 
 for coaching a a horse to go against Mr. Win- 
 ston, could I?" And he chuckled inwardly. 
 
 "Oh," said the girl quickly. "I didn't mean 
 it that way. I- -" 
 
 " I know, miss," said he, conscience-stricken. 
 
 "Well, I'll make it up to you afterward, never 
 fear." 
 
 " I am well paid now." 
 
 "You sha'n't suffer, William; count on me for 
 that. I will tell Mr. Winston all about it when I 
 meet him." 
 
 "I'm sure you would, miss." 
 
 " If he blames you in the least I'll plead for 
 you and he'll not lay it up against you, never 
 fear." 
 
 " I wonder if you would plead for me," thought 
 the groom as he saluted her when she finally rode 
 away. He had a feeling somewhere in his insides 
 257
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 that he had been playing a mean part, and yet 
 who 
 
 However, Friday morning found the ring at the 
 top of the Galloping Grounds bright with colour 
 and smart gowns. This show ring, built in a 
 small field surrounded by groves, was a pretty 
 sight. All about the rail stood coaches, brakes, 
 and traps of all sorts set close together and filled 
 with bright and laughing groups of men and 
 women. Mrs. Braveur and her husband had half 
 a dozen people on their brake, and among them the 
 girl, who was now so excited that she could scarcely 
 keep quiet while she sat with her host on the box- 
 seat watching the park teams circling the ring. 
 
 " Saddle-horse next, Edith," said Braveur, look- 
 ing at his programme. 
 
 "Don't speak of it!" cried the girl. 
 
 "Not rattled, eh?" 
 
 "Rattled! I'm so nervous I can't keep still!" 
 
 "Well, you've ridden the beast enough, Heaven 
 knows." 
 
 "That isn't it." 
 
 " I'll ride Boston for you if you say so." 
 
 "Not for worlds!" 
 
 258
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 Then she saw William outside the ring and 
 thought he did not look very trim for the groom 
 of a famous horseman like Mr. Winston, but she 
 longed so to have him advise her once more in his 
 calm voice that she noticed little else. Then the 
 time came for her to get down and mount Boston. 
 And, after all, she was not half so nervous as she 
 thought she would be as she waited for the 
 bugle. 
 
 In that instant a voice behind her said: 
 
 " Keep cool. Sit tight. He'll go famously." 
 
 "Oh, William," she breathed, turning toward 
 him and seeing him mounted on a big hunter. 
 
 "You can't miss a ribbon." 
 
 "Do you really think so?" 
 
 "I know it," and into the ring they went. 
 
 It was all over in no time, and then the tears 
 stood in the girl's eyes as she leaned forward and 
 patted old Boston to hide her face, while a groom 
 pinned a bright red ribbon on the horse's bridle, 
 and everybody clapped and cried "Bravo" as she 
 rode once more around the ring. 
 
 It seemed only a moment when she was called 
 for the jumping class. 
 
 259
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 In she went again. This time she must exhibit 
 alone. The first jump looked to her nervous 
 vision miles high, but she remembered her lesson 
 and put Boston at it. Over he went, clean and 
 clear. The second was brush. He cleared that, 
 too. And so the third and fourth all clear. 
 Then the girl came to herself. The fifth was 
 higher. Patting Boston gently, she sent him hard 
 at it, and a roar of applause went up on all sides. 
 Boston had gone over by a good foot. And then, 
 turning into the middle of the ring, she made for 
 the last and highest jump. But something the 
 clapping, perhaps had excited the horse, and 
 she remembered again her orders. 
 
 Instead of putting him at it she trotted him 
 slowly around the ring and pulled up at the end 
 for an instant. And there, close to the rail, she 
 heard a familiar voice: 
 
 "Loose rein straight seat keep cool!" 
 
 It was the one thing needed. With a touch of 
 her foot the good horse started forward on a long 
 gallop and ran straight for the big jump. For an 
 instant a sickening dread took her. Then she felt 
 herself sailing through the air, and for some un- 
 260
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 known reason turned her head to see if Boston had 
 hit. 
 
 That movement lost her her seat. As the horse 
 landed and the crowd started to shout its applause 
 she pitched forward and rolled in a heap on the 
 ground. There was a cry of horror, and then 
 they saw a man run from the rail and pick her up 
 as if she had been a child. He carried her ten- 
 derly to the Braveurs' brake, and the whole ring 
 waited and asked questions and watched. 
 
 She opened her eyes and looked up into Wil- 
 liam's anxious face. 
 
 " Are you hurt? " he whispered in a tense voice. 
 
 "Why, I I no, no it's all right." 
 
 "Edith Edith, dear!" cried Mrs. Braveur. 
 
 "I'm all right," cried the girl, trying to rise. 
 Then he lifted her, and she stood with her arm 
 about Mrs. Braveur. " It's nothing," she added, 
 laughing a little hysterically. "Did I clear?" 
 
 " Clear ! I should say you did, and you got the 
 'blue,' too," cried Braveur, and then everybody 
 laughed and talked a great deal. And in the 
 midst of it she turned to thank William, when Jim, 
 Braveur said: 
 
 261
 
 BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 *' Perhaps you'd like to meet your preserver." 
 
 Oh, I know " 
 
 "Mr. Winston, Miss Morgan." 
 
 The girl's figure stiffened suddenly, and she 
 looked at him until his eyes fell. Then she drew 
 in her breath so quickly that Mrs. Braveur put her 
 arm around her again. 
 
 "Edith, dear, you're hurt! What is it?" 
 
 " No, no, Lucy, I'm perfectly sound ; but I think 
 I'll walk about a little. It's dreadful to attract 
 so much attention." And she forced Mrs. Bra- 
 veur out on the lawn. 
 
 "By George!" she heard someone say behind 
 her. "Billy Winston didn't take long to cross 
 that ring, did he?" 
 
 " No," said Jim's voice. " He had her before 
 she was fairly down." 
 
 "He's a wonder, that feller. Seemed as if he 
 had known what was coming. Winston," he 
 added, "you did yourself proud that time." 
 
 " Oh, no. I happened to be close by, that's 
 all." 
 
 Then she turned and looked straight into his 
 eyes. 
 
 262
 
 'A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " I thank you, Mr. Winston. I owe you a great 
 "deal," meaningly. 
 
 "I'm glad it wasn't serious, Miss Morgan." 
 
 "I understand you are always near by to help 
 maidens in distress." 
 
 The man's face flushed suddenly. 
 
 "I should like to think that might be true." 
 
 " So far as I've seen it certainly is true." And 
 she turned quietly from him, climbing, with 
 Braveur's assistance, into the middle seat of the 
 brake. 
 
 "Whew!" said he. "What's the matter with 
 poor Winston?" 
 
 " Nothing that I know of," said the young 
 woman frigidly. 
 
 " You nearly snapped his head off." 
 
 "Did I?" 
 
 "Look! there goes Boston led away with his 
 blue ribbon." And then the girl's eyes softened 
 at once. 
 
 " Dear old Boston ! It was my fault. But 
 how can he get a ribbon if I fell?" 
 
 "Why, only the jumping qualities form and 
 so on count. The rider isn't considered." 
 263
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Thank goodness!" exclaimed the girl. And 
 then, as she saw Winston walking into the judges' 
 stand, it suddenly occurred to her that she owed it 
 all to him. 
 
 264
 
 XXXII 
 
 A FEW hours later Miss Morgan, ready for 
 dinner, stood before her glass examining her face 
 with some care. She looked almost angry. She 
 was certainly piqued. She was also slightly un- 
 certain as to the control she had over the features 
 reflected in the mirror those features which 
 Nature had set there in a way that is dangerous 
 to mankind. "It was outrageous," she mur- 
 mured, still studying the fair face. " No real 
 gentleman would could have done it. I won't 
 
 go down! I can't! I " and she walked 
 
 slowly and with much dignity out of her room, 
 downstairs, and into the presence of Winston, who 
 stood with his back to the fire in the hall. 
 
 She stopped at the foot of the stairs and started 
 back. Then, thinking better of it, she moved 
 across the hall toward him. 
 
 "Will you give me my five dollars?" 
 "I they're not yours. They're mine." 
 265
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "By what right?" 
 
 "You gave them to me." 
 
 "I did no such thing! I gave them to your 
 groom." 
 
 " He gave them to me." 
 
 "He was a gentleman, at least." 
 
 "I know it I'm proud of him." 
 
 "Are you proud of yourself?" 
 
 "Yes. Boston won." 
 
 " Boston has nothing to do with it." 
 
 " Boston did the whole thing ! " 
 
 "Will you give me back that money?" 
 
 "I want to keep it." 
 
 "Do you want to humiliate me still further?" 
 
 "Miss Morgan!" 
 
 "Do you think I must have still further indig- 
 nities heaped upon me because I presumed to take 
 the great Mr. Winston for his own groom ? " 
 
 " It didn't humiliate me to be taken for him." 
 
 " The more shame to you." 
 
 " Not at all ! I never had a happier week." 
 
 " And I never an unhappier." 
 
 He looked at her closely for a moment. 
 
 "Is that really true?" 
 266
 
 "Will you tell me how it could be otherwise?" 
 
 "And yet, if I had told you, you would never 
 have come again." 
 
 "Knowing that, you continued?" 
 
 "Well, I mean I- -" 
 
 " Finding a girl compromising herself, you did 
 not think her worth holding out a hand to 
 save." 
 
 "That's not true. I- -" 
 
 " It is. You allowed me to be seen meeting you, 
 morning after morning, out in the country. 
 You " 
 
 " No one saw " 
 
 "You threw me open to all sorts of gossip." 
 
 "Miss Morgan, I- -" 
 
 " You took pleasure in humiliating me day after 
 day." 
 
 " If you cry I'll go down on my knees here in 
 the hall." 
 
 " I've no intention of crying ! " 
 
 "Will you come and sit here, and let me tell 
 jou " 
 
 "No, I will not!" 
 
 "Then, wiU you let William " 
 
 267
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Oh!" cried the girl, putting her hands over 
 her face. 
 
 " Listen," said he, coming close to her. 
 
 "I won't! I can't!" 
 
 "Miss Morgan, wait! please! Will you let 
 William speak for himself?" 
 
 "Yes," said she, looking up quickly, tears of 
 vexation glistening in her eyes. "Yes, I would 
 hear William at any time." 
 
 "Then " 
 
 " But he has gone." 
 
 "Listen, please! He did his best this Wil- 
 liam he taught you all he knew. He stood there 
 and you came to him over the hills, a dream of the 
 morning, and you spoke to him. He knew you 
 would fade away if he said a word." 
 
 "He might have succeeded some time in finding 
 this 'dream of the morning' somewhere on the 
 earth." 
 
 "But William wasn't worth much." 
 
 " So I have learned." 
 
 "He just saw you and couldn't bear to break 
 the spell. Did you ever dream a dream and then 
 suddenly have the dream come true?" 
 268
 
 "Miss Morgan .... stood before 
 her glass examining her face with 
 some care."
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " How idiotic ! " said she impatiently. 
 
 " I suppose it is," and he turned and stirred the 
 fire. 
 
 "Will you give me that five dollars, Mr. 
 Winston?" 
 
 "It's mine. And, besides, I haven't it here." 
 
 "Aren't you man enough to get it? Where 
 is it?" 
 
 "Shall I tell you?" 
 
 "Yes; and if you haven't enough chivalry to 
 go and get it I will go." 
 
 " It is in my dressing-case on my bureau at the 
 club." 
 
 "Any five-dollar bill will do," said the girl in a 
 different tone. 
 
 " I want to keep it." 
 
 " Then wait here." And she picked up the 
 front of her white skirt and ran lightly up to her 
 room. In an instant she returned. " Then you 
 will take this." And she held out the blue ribbon 
 for the jumping class. 
 
 " Not for worlds ! " cried the astonished man, 
 stepping back. 
 
 " Hello, people hungry ? " And Braveur 
 269
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 came in from the dining-room. "Ah, the vain 
 creature!" he added. "She's carrying her blue 
 ribbon around with her." 
 
 "Miss Morgan was good enough to bring it 
 down to show me," said Winston. And then the 
 Altons and Winthrops arrived and they went in 
 to dinner. 
 
 "What I want to know," said Winthrop pres- 
 ently "what I want to know is how Miss Mor- 
 gan got that horse into such training? " 
 
 " I can tell you," said Lucy. " She's been hard 
 at it every morning since she came here." 
 
 "Where?" 
 
 " She's ridden over to the Galloping Grounds 
 every day and spent the whole morning there." 
 
 " Must have been some attraction besides a 
 horse," suggested Braveur. And Winston turned 
 quickly to his soup, while a certain young woman 
 could have cried as she thought that she \ras 
 actually blushing. Then suddenly: 
 
 "There -was some other attraction." 
 
 "What!" cried everybody. 
 
 " Who ?" asked Braveur. 
 
 "A groom," said the girl, smiling. 
 270
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 *' Edith, dear!" exclaimed Mrs. Braveur. 
 
 "I'll tell you the idyl, shall I?" 
 
 " By all means, though it seems to smell a little 
 of the stable." 
 
 "Well, this is a Horse-Show dinner, isn't it?" 
 asked Braveur. 
 
 "Listen, good people." There came a bright 
 spark in the girl's eye. "I rode out one morning 
 in despair " 
 
 "Does it ride easily?" 
 
 "Dry up, Winthrop. Listen to the Tale of 
 Grooms." 
 
 " Boston was hopeless. Lucy said I was going 
 to lose " 
 
 " But you didn't, after ah 1 ," interpolated Mrs. 
 Braveur. 
 
 " I turned into the Galloping Grounds and came 
 upon a groom " 
 
 "Good-looking?" asked Braveur. 
 
 She hesitated a moment and appeared to think. 
 
 "Not very. Rather common-looking, as I 
 remember him." 
 
 Winston straightened his tie. 
 
 " Poor man," said Winthrop. 
 271
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "And I put Boston at a low rail. He refused, 
 and I fell off and hung by my skirt." 
 
 "Edith! how dreadful!" 
 
 " The groom seemed to be expecting it, for he 
 had me back in the saddle before I knew what had 
 happened." 
 
 "Winston, you and the groom are in the same 
 class on rescues." 
 
 Winston did not answer. He could not take 
 his eyes off the girl, as with heightened colour she 
 went on: 
 
 "Then he told me why I lost my seat, and how 
 to sit better, and how to send Boston up to the 
 fence, and everything." 
 
 " Good for the groom ! " 
 
 "And every morning, for a week and more, he 
 gave me my lesson. I didn't say anything about 
 it till the show was over, but now I don't care. 
 He did his work well, and I paid him," with a 
 marked emphasis on the "paid." 
 
 " I didn't know there was a groom around 
 here that knew enough for that," mused Bra- 
 veur. 
 
 "This man was unusual." 
 272
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " I should say so. I'd like to get hold of a 
 feller like that. Whose man was he? " 
 
 "He said he worked for Mr. Winston," and 
 Miss Morgan looked down at her plate. 
 
 "What '11 you take for him, Winston?" asked 
 Braveur. 
 
 " Couldn't let him go," laughed Winston. 
 "He's been with me too long. Knows my ways, 
 yx>u see." 
 
 A fair young personage sniffed audibly. 
 
 " Edith, I'm a little scandalised at your meet- 
 ing a groom every day," said Lucy deprecat- 
 ingly. "But I suppose the groom ^sn't so bad 
 as " 
 
 "His master?" asked Bravem. 
 
 Winston laughed lightly, but kept his eyes on 
 her face, and, seeing an expression of pain there, 
 he changed the subject. 
 
 After dinner, walking over the lawns to the club 
 for the Horse-Show dance, he managed, in spite of 
 her, to walk by her side. 
 
 "Miss Morgan." 
 
 "Mr. Winston?" 
 
 "I apologise." 
 
 273
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " It's very easy to say those two words." 
 
 " And yet you'll forgive me." 
 
 " Oh, you think so ? " looking up at him. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 " Will you let me ask why ? " 
 
 " Will you let me answer in your own words ? '* 
 
 " Certainly." 
 
 "'You sha'n't suffer, William '" 
 
 "But that " 
 
 "'Count on me '" 
 
 "It isn't fair to- -" 
 
 " * If he blames you in the least I'll plead for 
 you.'" 
 
 The girl's eyes were on the ground and her face 
 had changed again. 
 
 "Even so," said she suddenly. "It was only 
 if you blamed er " 
 
 " I do blame him, Miss Morgan." 
 
 "Then you're really sorry?" looking up 
 quickly. 
 
 " No, not in the least." 
 
 "But you " 
 
 "Apologise? Yes, surely, because I've hurt 
 you." 
 
 274
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Why aren't you sorry?" 
 
 "Because I'd do the same thing again if you 
 came again." 
 
 "And hurt a girl's feelings?" 
 
 " Have I really done that ? " 
 
 "Yes, you have, and I don't think it was fair 
 fair sport." 
 
 "It was good sport " 
 
 "Mr. Winston!" 
 
 "I beg your pardon. But, dear lady, I I 
 it was so good to see you and it was all so 
 unrestrained, and now " 
 
 "And now?" 
 
 " Well, there's something strained now, all right, 
 and I'm sorry." 
 
 She walked in silence up the club steps. 
 
 "Will you dance with me?" he asked. 
 
 "No, I don't think I will," and she looked 
 steadily at him. 
 
 "Punishment?" 
 
 "I'm not so conceited as some people, Mr. 
 Winston." 
 
 "Don't you care to dance with me?" 
 
 "Is there any reason why I should?" 
 275
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "You're very severe, Miss Morgan," and his 
 face hardened a little as he walked into the room 
 where people were dancing and gave her up to the 
 first man that asked her to dance. 
 
 As she circled around the room the Horse-Show 
 colours of the decorations reminded her of Boston's 
 ribbons, and it was only a step to what had helped 
 
 perhaps made him win. After all, if it had 
 really been a groom he could not have taught her 
 all that in one short week; after all, he had done 
 more than most people could have done to win her 
 what she most wanted; after all, it it had been 
 
 amusing. And then she blushed. 
 
 There was a cotillon later. She noticed that 
 Winston did not dance, that he had no partner. 
 She noticed, too, that he stood with a group of 
 men by the door, and that he was usually looking 
 at her as she danced. After all, Boston had won. 
 And she walked up to the table and discovered that 
 the favours were riding stocks. 
 
 Again the girl flushed brightly as she smiled 
 and moved over to the door. The men spread to 
 either side, supposing she wished to pass. But she 
 stepped up to Winston. 
 
 276
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Perhaps you may have some use for this whip,"" 
 said she. 
 
 " Thank you," said he. " In my present frame 
 of mind I think after the dance I'll go and beat 
 William." 
 
 "Don't be too hard on him," as they swung 
 around the room. 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 "He made Boston win, after all." 
 
 " You are pleading for him ? " 
 
 " Not in the least." 
 
 "Then " 
 
 " Chastise him for being disrespectful to a help- 
 less girl, and then then thank him for me." 
 
 " May I tell you the result to-morrow ? " 
 
 " I hardly think it's worth while," said Miss 
 Morgan. 
 
 277
 
 XXXIII 
 
 NEXT day, Saturday, was the second day of 
 the show. All the morning the traps were filled 
 with the same people, and the different parties had 
 luncheon on their big coaches or in under the trees 
 near by. It was just as the afternoon events 
 began that Winston came up to the Braveurs' 
 party strolling out of the woods from luncheon. 
 
 They could not sit on the brake, as Jim was 
 going to show his four in the ring. 
 
 "Have you had enough for a time?" asked 
 Winston of Miss Morgan. 
 
 "You know it does get tiresome after forty- 
 eight hours," she acknowledged. 
 
 " Then come and walk with me and I'll report," 
 and they turned into one of the wooded paths 
 some old timber road, perhaps and strolled 
 away. 
 
 "William's had his beating," sighed Winston. 
 
 "Did he take it well?" 
 278
 
 "No; he objected. He said he meant no 
 harm." 
 
 "Isn't he ever repentant?" 
 
 "Yes, very. Wants to know what he can do 
 to make up for his mistakes ? " 
 
 " Tell him to return my five dollars," smiling. 
 
 " He's gone and spent it." 
 
 " Oh, how unsentimental," and she laughed in 
 spite of herself. 
 
 "Wasn't it?" 
 
 " I suppose he drank it up," mischievously. 
 
 "No o." 
 
 " Eat it up, then." 
 
 "No. Something worse than that." 
 
 "What did he do? I'm curious to know." 
 
 "The idiot went and bought this," and he held 
 up a leather picture-frame out of which looked a 
 photograph of herself. 
 
 "Mr. Winston, where did you get that pic- 
 ture?" demanded the girl, stopping short under 
 
 the trees. 
 
 j j 
 
 "Take it out at once." 
 " It was given to me." 
 
 279
 
 " Nonsense. Give it back to me." 
 
 "I tell you it isn't yours." 
 
 "Who gave it wait!" And she examined it 
 carefully as he held it up well out of her reach. 
 
 "Oh, I'll pay Lucy Braveur for this!" And 
 she clenched the white gloved hands in rage and 
 amazement. 
 
 Then Winston calmly put it back in his pocket. 
 
 "Mr. Winston, I'm not angry. I simply ask 
 you to give that back to me." There was some- 
 thing in the quiet tone that forced him to take out 
 the picture, frame and all, and gave it to her. 
 
 Then they walked on in silence for a time. 
 Gradually he began to talk calmly about other 
 things, and before they knew it the quick autumn 
 twilight was upon them. 
 
 "Goodness me!" cried the girl. "We must 
 get back." 
 
 And they turned and walked more quickly 
 through the woods. The little path was hardly 
 discernible now, and they were going down a steep 
 hill, he in the lead to find the way, she following. 
 Suddenly he heard a quick cry and turned to see 
 her fall heavily. Even before he could reach her 
 280
 
 
 " 'The idiot went and bought this.' "
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 she had tried to get up and had fallen again ; and 
 then, by the pale, drawn face, he knew that some- 
 thing had happened. 
 
 "What is it?" he cried under his breath as he 
 lifted her. 
 
 "My foot. My foot." 
 
 "Is it bad?" 
 
 " I can't stand on it." 
 
 " It hurts you, I can see." 
 
 "Wait a moment!" Then, holding by a tree 
 with one hand and grasping his arm with the other, 
 she made a try. There was a little cry of pain, and 
 she looked up at him with a white face. 
 
 " Don't try it ! " he said sharply. " Wait ! Sit 
 down here a moment." He made his way through 
 the trees and came quickly back. 
 
 "There's a road just below here." 
 
 "Far?" 
 
 " No. Now, brace up your courage. I'm going 
 to carry you." 
 
 "No, no! You can't." And the colour came 
 flooding back into her cheeks. 
 
 " Nonsense ! Ready ? " 
 
 " I can walk now, I am sure." 
 281
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Very well, try." 
 
 But the first attempt showed how futile it was. 
 Without a word he stooped down and gently lifted 
 her, and it seemed so ridiculously impossible in these 
 two that she flushed in embarrassment as she put 
 her arm tightly around his neck to help him. 
 
 Not a word did either say as he carried her 
 through the bushes down the hillside. 
 
 " I'm too heavy," murmured the girl. 
 
 "Heavy! I could carry you for miles." And 
 suddenly they came out on the road. 
 
 " Put me down now, please," she begged, and he 
 gently set the strong foot on the ground and held 
 her. 
 
 "Where are we?" 
 
 "I'm blessed if I know. This is a new country 
 to me." 
 
 " And Fve never been here before, either. What 
 shall we do?" 
 
 " There's a house. Come, we're off." And again, 
 without a word, he lifted her and walked the two 
 hundred yards to the farm-house door. 
 
 Once inside he had the household on the run in a 
 moment ; and the girl, sitting alone in the rocking- 
 282
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 chair-and-wasp-nest parlour, leaned back and shut 
 her eyes, trying to bear the pain without much 
 thought of what might be happening. 
 
 In a moment Winston walked in, carrying a 
 bucket of steaming water. 
 
 " What is that ? " she asked apprehensively. He 
 looked down at her and said sternly: 
 
 " Miss Morgan, take off your shoe and put your 
 foot in that water." 
 
 " I won't ! " said she abruptly. 
 
 " You do just what I say, young woman. Put out 
 the foot immediately, or I'll find it." 
 
 With speechless meekness she let him cut the tie 
 and slit the shoe, and then, with a sigh of inexpres- 
 sible relief, she put her foot in the hot water. 
 
 " Oh, if you knew how good that is ! " she cried, 
 with tears in her eyes. 
 
 "Know! Don't I know? Now, in fifteen minutes 
 we'll have a wagon and in half an hour more we'll 
 be home." 
 
 Looking up, she saw something in his eyes, and, 
 perhaps because of the immense relief from pain in 
 her foot, she laughed up at him. 
 
 "What a ridiculous predicament." 
 283
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Thank God for that smile ! " cried Winston in 
 high spirits. "They can't beat us." And then 
 came word that the wagon was at the door. 
 
 Without so much as a " by your leave," he lifted 
 her and carried her out to the back seat, and then 
 appeared again with the bucket of hot water. 
 
 "You can't put that in here," cried the girl in 
 amazement. 
 
 "Watch me." 
 
 And so they started homeward, the dainty girl 
 with her foot in the bucket that kept spilling as 
 they went along, the man sitting quietly by her. 
 
 " You're very good," cried the girl. " I'm so 
 so sorry." 
 
 "Don't you cry! Stop it!" commanded 
 Winston. 
 
 "I I can't help it." And the man could do 
 nothing but sit by and wait. 
 
 So they rode on for three or four miles with little 
 speech, till at last he lifted her out at the Braveurs' 
 door amidst the amazement and surprise of the 
 family. 
 
 Late the next afternoon Winston came over from 
 the club and met Lucy in the hall. 
 284
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "How is she?" 
 
 " Getting along famously. She's sprained her 
 ankle." 
 
 "Can I see her?" 
 
 " I shouldn't wonder," smilingly. 
 
 "What's the matter?" 
 
 " Nothing, only she seems to be expecting some- 
 one." 
 
 "What under the sun do you mean, fair 
 lady?" 
 
 " Did you ever see such vain things as women 
 are! That bad girl insisted on getting up three 
 hours ago and dressing in her most becoming tea- 
 gown. And there she sits upstairs in the sewing- 
 room. I wonder why?" 
 
 But he was half-way upstairs. 
 
 " Jim, dear," said Lucy presently to her spouse, 
 " would you mind kissing me ? " 
 
 " Why ? " laughed he as he obeyed orders. 
 
 "Oh, I don't know; just for fun." 
 
 Winston knocked at the sewing-room door, and, 
 
 upon being bidden, went in. Over by the window 
 
 sat the girl on a lounge, in a white lacelike gown, 
 
 smiling at him. He went hurriedly to her and, tak- 
 
 285
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 ing her hand, held it an instant, and then, quietly, 
 gently, took her in his arms and kissed her. 
 
 " I can't help it ! I can't," cried he. " Do you 
 mind?" 
 
 "I don't know quite," breathed the girl with 
 shining eyes. And then for a space they said noth- 
 ing, but sat there quietly, the brown head on his 
 shoulder, while the sun dropped below the horizon. 
 
 " And the poor foot ? " 
 
 " Better," whispered the girl. 
 
 "And you?" 
 
 " So happy ! so happy ! " 
 
 "After all, I'm the groom, still." 
 
 " What do you mean ? " 
 
 " Bridegroom." 
 
 She sat upright and looked at him. Then, assum- 
 ing the tone for the original groom, she said with- 
 out a smile: 
 
 "William, such a joke as that is maudlin." 
 
 "Yes, miss." 
 
 " William, you will never be anything but a wit- 
 less groom." 
 
 "Yes, miss." 
 
 "William," in a very different tone. 
 286
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Yes?" 
 
 " Will you take good care of me ? " 
 "God helping me, I will, Edith," said the man 
 solemnly and tenderly. 
 
 " Then you may keep the five dollars dear." 
 
 287
 
 XXXIV 
 
 WINTER was on them quicker than usual that 
 year and the Naugatuck colony moved to town 
 early in December. The Braveurs had long ago 
 made up their minds to have a good time in life, 
 provided their children's education and bringing 
 up were not interfered with. And so they had no 
 sooner gotten settled in the city than Lucy 
 announced that she was going to give a dinner 
 dance at Delmonico's. 
 
 That settled it. 
 
 Jim merely smiled and prepared to foot the bills. 
 
 But as something happened that needs explana- 
 tion, let us preface. 
 
 The Naugatuck clubhouse was kept open all the 
 year round. It was a country club in summer, a 
 fishing club in the early spring, and a gun club 
 and bird club in the winter. A day or two bcfon- 
 the famous dance a well-built young man of about 
 thirty sat by the big wood fire in the huge room of 
 288
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 the club down in the country with that placidity 
 which the first day with the wild ducks gives to a 
 tired man. 
 
 The wheels of the station buckboard sounded 
 outside, the door opened and another man, perhaps 
 a little less vigorous, perhaps not quite so strong 
 in t'aee and body, walked in. 
 
 "Halloa, Dick," said he. 
 
 "Ilalloa, Freddie, what brings you into the 
 wild-" 
 
 " I'm done up, Dick ! I can't reach it ! I come 
 up to my room, will you? I've got to talk to some- 
 body." 
 
 A moment later, one sitting on the bed, the other 
 unpacking, Freddie said: 
 
 " Richard, Fm useless ! " 
 
 " No more than usual, I hope," said the other 
 politely. 
 
 " Well, I just pass ! Fm dead to the world ! " 
 
 " 1 f you would talk the English language I 
 might gather the context." suggested Richard. 
 
 " Look here, Dick. I say to the devil with 
 women ! " 
 
 "Ah ! " mused his friend. *A woman !" 
 289
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "I didn't say so! Oh, I can't talk to anyone! 
 I came here to be alone." 
 
 "Excuse me," interrupted Richard, rising and 
 moving toward the door. 
 
 " Don't be an ass, man. I've got to be with some- 
 one or I'll commit suicide." 
 
 " So bad as that ? Come after some ducks with 
 me in the morning." 
 
 " May I go with you ? " 
 
 "Will it save you from suicide?" 
 
 " It might ease my mind a bit." 
 
 " Then go it is. I'm in for it now," he added to 
 himself, as he went to his own room. " It's a 
 woman ; and I can help a man on the woman ques- 
 tion about as easily as I can help a camel on the 
 needle question." 
 
 It was two o'clock in the morning when old Cap- 
 tain Barkus knocked at Richard's door and bade 
 him get up. 
 
 " No, I'm darned if I will," replied that gentle- 
 man sleepily. 
 
 " It's getting on toward sunrise, Mr. Darley," 
 said the Captain through the door. 
 
 " I don't care if it's sunset ! " 
 290
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Come on, Dick, I'm up," said Freddie through 
 the door of his adjoining room. 
 
 Darley sat up in bed. 
 
 "You haven't slept, Freddie!" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Reached anything yet?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 " Lord ! Lord ! " muttered Darley as he got slowly 
 out of bed. " It's coming ! " 
 
 So they dressed by candle light, walked down- 
 stairs and ate an egg and drank a cup of coffee 
 with the Captain. 
 
 "Are the birds flying this morning, think, 
 Barkus?" asked Darley. 
 
 " Sure, sir. There ain't been no sign o' moon ; 
 like enough thick weather to seaward and the wind 
 comin' in from the east'ard pretty smart. But you 
 gentlemen have got to move." And so they got out 
 into the night, and came to the stand, and set out 
 the decoys, and watched the Captain and his son 
 row in either direction to turn toward them what- 
 ever of wild ducks might come in. 
 
 " We'll get a crack soon, Freddie. It's an ideal 
 morning for them." 
 
 291
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 No response from the other. 
 
 "Suicidal leanings still strong?" 
 
 " Saj, look here, Dick. Do you know Ethel 
 Talbot?" 
 
 "Lord! Lord!" moaned Richard to himself. 
 "It's come!" Aloud he answered, "No; why 
 should I?" 
 
 " Well, you know who she is ? " 
 
 "Certainly. She is Albert Talbot's daughter. 
 He's treasurer of this club." 
 
 "I suppose so. Well, she's it, Dick." 
 
 "Oh, is she? Why doesn't she tag you, then?" 
 
 " Don't be an ass ! I she I she " 
 
 " It ? " suggested his friend. 
 
 "Hang it, man, she says I don't do anything; 
 she says what's the good of a man who doesn't reach 
 out; she says she'll be damned if she'll tie up to a 
 slob like me." 
 
 " Nice language she uses," interrupted Richard, 
 as he kept his eyes on the horizon. 
 
 " Well, you know. She won't stand for it." 
 
 "How much have you got, Freddie?" 
 
 "Five thousand a year." 
 
 "How much of it did you make?" 
 292
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Make ? You know very well the governor left 
 it to me." 
 
 " What do you do for more? " 
 
 "Why, nothing." 
 
 Darley watched the light grow in the east for a 
 moment and then said : 
 
 " She probably is a decent girl as women 
 go " 
 
 " She's a dream, man ! " 
 
 " Decent girl as women go, and wanted to 
 see if you could do anything. And you killed the 
 goose by saying you wouldn't try." 
 
 " But we could live on what I have and what 
 she " 
 
 " By gad, here they come ! " cried Darley sud- 
 denly. " Right there to the eastward of the point. 
 Keep down, man ! Keep down ! Now they turn. 
 Wait till I tell you to fire. They'll be over the 
 'coys in an instant. Take the last bird, Freddie, 
 the last bird! Easy easy they've turned 
 no, here they come ! Wait, now, wait ! " The little 
 specks seemed to grow suddenly larger instead of 
 coming nearer and then they swung in over the 
 decoys and came on with prodigious velocity. 
 
 293
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Now!" And both men fired. The last bird 
 moved swiftly on. The next to the last dropped 
 Into the water. 
 
 "Thunder! I believe I missed." 
 
 " I believe you did, Freddie," and they waited to 
 see if the birds would turn in a second time. 
 
 " I can't hit anything. I'm too done up." 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 " Well. I told her I'd try to do something, and 
 she said she couldn't agree to any waiting game 
 and what the deuce can I do?" 
 
 " What is the name of that uncle of yours ? " 
 asked Darley the next moment. 
 
 " Who ? Uncle William Stevens ? " 
 
 "Yes, what is he?" 
 
 " President of the Ninth National, downtown." 
 
 "Go to him and get a ten-dollar-a-week job. 
 Then see what the lady says." 
 
 Silence for a moment. 
 
 "Dick, you are invited to the Braveurs' dance 
 for Monday night " 
 
 " And I'm not going." 
 
 "Will you go and meet her and talk to her 
 and tell her about it?" 
 294
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 A groan, all but audible, was followed by a start, 
 "There they come again! Get down! Ge-e-et 
 down, low! Easy, now, easy! And for Heaven's 
 sake, don't miss tin's time!" 
 
 295
 
 XXXV 
 
 THE Braveurs' dance was in full force up on an 
 upper floor of Delmonico's some hundred people 
 or more and as Darley entered somewhat late he 
 saw a whirl of dark figures mixed up with pink 
 and blue and white gowns of a very fairylike 
 nature. It was a pretty sight, and he stood watch- 
 ing it when one black-and-white affair dissolved 
 itself into two people, and he was shaking hands 
 with a young person with gray eyes and brown hair 
 whom Freddie Beaumont introduced as Miss Ethel 
 Talbot. 
 
 "I've heard a great deal about you," she 
 said. 
 
 "Nice subject, isn't it?" 
 
 " I don't know yet." 
 
 "Where have you been, Dick, all the evening?" 
 asked Beaumont. 
 
 " Working," replied the other, as Freddie, with- 
 out waiting for a reply, took himself off. 
 296
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Working at what?" asked a quiet voice, as 
 Darley felt a white glove take his proffered arm. 
 
 " The struggle for existence, so-called," he 
 answered. 
 
 "What do you do, Mr. Darley?" 
 
 " Lord, Lord ! Here is where it all came from," 
 he muttered. Then he said aloud : " Oh, I write 
 editorials that astound the universe " 
 
 " But you are really at work and doing some- 
 thing?" 
 
 " Well, you see neither Freddie's governor nor 
 mine left me five thousand a year." And his eye- 
 brows rose slightly. 
 
 The gray eyes certainly showed the possibilities 
 of humour. 
 
 "Freddie has just seen his uncle, and a week 
 from to-day he goes into the bank to begin work." 
 
 "At ten dollars a week?" he asked appre- 
 hensively. 
 
 " No," laughed the young lady ; " at fifty dollars 
 a week." 
 
 "That's a splendid beginning," said Darley. 
 " And, Miss Talbot, Freddie Beaumont is worth it, 
 worth very much more don't you think so ? " 
 297
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Do you think so?" 
 
 " I do. Much more." 
 
 "You like shooting, don't you?" 
 
 "Yes. We all like what we cannot get." 
 
 " So do I," said she quietly. 
 
 "What do you shoot with?" and he looked 
 straight in her eyes. 
 
 Miss Talbot returned the look for an instant. 
 
 " Are you a flirt, Mr. Darley ? " 
 
 " God forbid, madam," he said hastily. 
 
 "I think He does," she answered. Then, after 
 a pause : " Do you write only editorials ? " 
 
 " No ; I write great works : poems, novels, plaj-s." 
 
 "Do you really? Where are they published?" 
 
 " They are seldom published, Miss Talbot. Only 
 the grasping money-makers publish their works." 
 
 "You are making fun of me. Tell me the 
 truth." 
 
 " I wouldn't dare to shall we go in and 
 dance ? " 
 
 " No ! let us go into that palm-room and sit down 
 instead." 
 
 " You read my thoughts. You are really a very 
 wonderful person." 
 
 298
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Such a trite thing to say, isn't it?" said she, 
 leaning back on a small sofa. 
 
 " So many people tell you so, then ? " with a 
 smile. 
 
 " Not at all," said she quickly. " But it is so 
 foolish to talk to me like that." 
 
 " Then let us talk of Freddie." 
 
 "Why of him?" 
 
 " Because I know you like him, and have known 
 him a long time ; and because I have known him a 
 a long time and like him, too. He is a good mortal 
 and will soon be better yet." 
 
 " He has a good friend, anyway. Did he tell 
 you to talk to me of him ? " 
 
 " Not in the least," said Darley firmly. 
 
 " He said he did," and an innocent manner 
 scarcely concealed a gleam of humour. 
 
 "The fool! The ass! The idiot!" muttered 
 Richard. " I imagine this must be the case where 
 the boy lied." 
 
 "Which boy?" 
 
 " I am a decrepit old man, Miss Talbot." 
 
 "Your exterior is beautifully preserved, then," 1 
 said she, looking gravely at him. 
 299
 
 r A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Would it be discourteous of me to ask if you 
 are a flirt, Miss Talbot? " 
 
 "Would it be profanity for me to reply 'God 
 forbid,' Mr. Darley?" 
 
 Then for some reason they both laughed. And 
 she suddenly leaned forward and asked him: 
 
 " Do you, sir, in your literary career " 
 
 " Newspaper career," he put in parenthetically. 
 
 "Ever read poetry?" 
 
 " Sometimes," suspiciously. 
 
 "Ever read Longfellow's Miles Standish?" 
 
 "Miss Talbot, you are incorrigible. It isn't 
 fair." 
 
 "Then speak for yourself," she said; adding 
 hastily, "about shooting." And for an instant a 
 little flush stood on her cheek. 
 
 He leaned back in his chair and laughed again. 
 
 "Well, 
 
 " * I like to shoot my little gun 
 
 At any time of day. 
 I like to see the rabbits run 
 Unless they get away.' " 
 
 " Will you try to be serious, sir? " frowning with 
 300
 
 much severity. "Do you know I shot a deer last 
 fall in the Adirondacks ? " 
 
 " No, did you really ? What rifle did you use ? " 
 And he leaned forward with a new spark in his eye 
 a spark that was noted the moment it appeared. 
 
 " A 40-.30. And it was perfectly dear ! " 
 
 "A little heavy for you, I should say. Better 
 make it a 30-. 30 half magazine. You can do 
 a good deal better with that. I had a chance 
 
 once He stopped suddenly, for in the face 
 
 near his he caught the trace of a smile " er 
 shall we dance?" 
 
 " Please, please ! " she pleaded, quite serious now. 
 " Is that fair to a helpless girl? " 
 
 And then they were off in a discussion of the 
 technical questions of rifles, all of which, to his 
 intense amazement and delight, she understood. 
 And he sat more and more on the edge of his chair 
 and she leaned forward with her white gloved elbows 
 on her white silk knees. Looking up suddenly for 
 some corroboration or denial, she discovered his 
 face lit up with something that had not been there 
 a moment before, and she said abruptly: 
 
 " Do you know you are exactly like your sister?" 
 301
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "My sister!" 
 
 "Yes, your sister Ethel." 
 
 "Ethel?" he said again in the same dazed 
 
 tone. 
 
 " Yes, Ethel. That's my name, too, you know." 
 "You don't mean to tell me you're Ethel's 
 
 Ethel?" 
 
 " Oh, no ! I'm Priscilla What's-her-name." 
 "Why, but Ethel's been telling me about you 
 
 for the last four hundred years ! " 
 
 " Not quite so long as that." And she laughed 
 
 gaily at his embarrassment. 
 
 " But then you can't be over nineteen ! " 
 
 " It was you who said I was four hundred." 
 
 Then he stood over her a moment in undisguised 
 
 amazement, until she reached up her hand and said 
 
 demurely : 
 
 "Won't you shake hands with an old friend?" 
 He took it took it all grasped it and held it 
 
 thus until the embarrassment appeared on her face, 
 
 when the hand was suddenly drawn away as a 
 
 cheery voice behind them said: 
 
 "Well, children, how goes it? Pushing a good 
 
 thing along?" 
 
 302
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 Without hesitation the little lady said: 
 
 " We were just shaking hands and saying good- 
 night, for I see mamma coming with a 'go home* 
 look on her face." 
 
 And as Freddie and his friend walked away Dar- 
 ley could only mutter to himself : *' Yes, Freddie, 
 pushing a good thing along." 
 
 " Jim," said his wife as the dance was over and 
 they began to think of getting home, "this dance 
 has been a success." 
 
 " Then it was worth the somewhat extensive out- 
 lay?" 
 
 " Absolutely." 
 
 " What's on your mind, Lu ? Get it out or you'll 
 burst." 
 
 " I think I've got Ethel Talbot married ! " 
 
 " What ! Freddie Beaumont after all? I thought 
 you disapproved " 
 
 " You're so stupid, dear. I've told you a dozen 
 times Freddie was no man for her." 
 
 " So you've broken up that prospective happy 
 home ? Poor Freddie ! " 
 
 " You wait and watch ! " 
 
 " Certainly. I'll do nothing else," sarcastically. 
 303
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 . " I wish you'd take a little more interest in 
 my " 
 
 " I wish you'd take a little less. Why don't you 
 let 'em get married themselves ? " 
 
 " Didn't I do pretty well for you, sir ? " 
 
 "My life is one long struggle to marry the 
 world " 
 
 "Jim!" 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 "You will apologise this minute, and then kiss 
 me." 
 
 He looked at the pretty head beside him a 
 moment. 
 
 " I apologise." 
 
 "And " with a bright face turned up to 
 
 him. After all she hadn't done so badly for him. 
 
 "Now come home, matchmaker, and sleep off 
 your mania." 
 
 " Mania ! " exclaimed the lady. " Far better than 
 horses, anyway, and bridge, too." 
 
 304
 
 XXXVI 
 
 TEN days later, while he was fixing his third cup 
 of coffee, Darley glanced at two or three letters 
 lying by his toast. The first was a bill for an 
 expensive pair of shoes with "Please remit" writ- 
 ten beneath it. He tore it up, muttering that the 
 poor he had with him always. The next was a 
 notification of a meeting of a committee. He tore 
 that up. The third was an invitation to dine with 
 Mrs. Talbot, and it said, " I want to have the pleas- 
 ure of meeting you, too." 
 
 " Too! " said Richard, addressing the coffee 
 machine. " Such a little word. I wonder if it was 
 a pleasure. I will go and see." 
 
 And a few evenings later he walked into the 
 Talbots' drawing-room. 
 
 " I'm so glad you could come," said Miss Talbot. 
 
 " Could I refuse when mamma said ' Too ' ? " 
 
 "Two? Two what?" 
 
 He handed her the invitation. 
 
 " I never said any such thing," said she. 
 305
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Ah, M he said to himself. "Then she did, after 
 all." 
 
 " We are delighted to have you here," exclaimed 
 Mrs. Talbot, shaking him languidly by the hand. 
 "Ethel told us so much about you that we really 
 had to see for ourselves." 
 
 He looked at her, but she did not waver ; " I only 
 said you were a cynic." 
 
 "Aha!" he laughed. "Splendid! It's my one 
 ambition to be a cynic! Do you like cynics, 
 Mrs. Talbot?" 
 
 "Why, really, Mr. Darley, not as a rule, you 
 know. Don't they say rude things and dress 
 badly?" 
 
 He looked down at his clothes : " They are the 
 best I have." 
 
 "Oh, really I I meant nothing personal." 
 added the lady a little nervously. " There's noth- 
 ing the matter with your clothes." 
 
 " I'll try not to be rude," he said plaintively. 
 
 " Oh, but you mustn't take it as ah, dinner is 
 ready! Will you take in Ethel, Mr. Darley?" 
 
 "Are you really a cynic?" asked Ethel as they 
 took their places at table. 
 306
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Of course, since } r ou say so." 
 
 " But Freddie says you are not. That you 
 are " 
 
 " Well, what did Freddie say? " 
 
 " Shall I give you his exact words?" 
 
 " Of course." 
 
 " That you are a dear, good fellow trying to be 
 cynical, but failing miserably." And the young 
 woman looked down at her oysters. 
 
 "Freddie lies in his teeth," answered Darley 
 softly. 
 
 After a pause : " Tell me about the editorials." 
 
 "Ladyship, shall I tell you the story of my 
 life?" 
 
 " Do try to be serious. I am really interested." 
 
 " Well," said he with a sigh, " there are three to 
 be done to-night." 
 
 " What about ? " she asked with interest. 
 
 " The first as to whether cynics really must wear 
 bad clothes " 
 
 " Dear, good mamma, she meant well, any- 
 way." 
 
 "The second as to whether pink or white goes 
 best with gray eyes." 
 
 307
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Which shall you decide?" 
 
 "That both being perfect, the question is laid 
 on the table." 
 
 "So silly," said she. "And the third?" as a 
 little smile passed over her face. 
 
 " Ah, the third ! " said he ; " that is very serious. 
 I cannot tell you about the third." 
 
 "Please!" 
 
 " I don't dare to." 
 
 " I won't tell." 
 
 " Well," and of a sudden the lines about his j aw 
 set a little, "the third will be a discussion as to 
 whether a girl has the sense and honour to marry 
 the man she has led on to love her." 
 
 There was a pause. Then gradually a flush 
 appeared on her face. He saw it grow, and the 
 pause became embarrassing, when a very sweet but 
 a very distant voice said : 
 
 "And what will you decide to be the likeli- 
 hood?" 
 
 " I've changed my mind about that editorial. I 
 shall not write it," he answered, looking down at 
 his plate. 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 308
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Because it isn't fair." 
 
 " No, it isn't fair," said she. " And now I must 
 talk to the man on the other side." 
 
 "Please don't go!" 
 
 " It is rude not to." 
 
 " Is that a lesson for me ? " 
 
 "Does the shoe fit? There is a very marriage- 
 able, attractive girl on your right." 
 
 " If you do not come back soon I shall be mar- 
 ried," said he with plaintive emphasis. 
 
 Darley turned to the marriageable heiress and 
 became at once strangely fascinated by a tiny mole 
 on the side of her nose which moved up and down 
 every time she laughed. He tried not to look at 
 it, and yet it was impossible not to say things that 
 might draw a smile. Meantime he heard little or 
 nothing, but felt himself growing lightheaded and 
 more or less inclined to think that this was a great 
 world and life worth living, after all. 
 
 In the midst of this a conciliatory roice said 
 sweetly : 
 
 "I received a 30-.30 the other day and don't 
 know who sent it." 
 
 "Did you really? How did it suit?" 
 309
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " It is better than the heavy one. I tried it in a 
 gallery to-day." 
 
 " Cleave unto it until death do you part. It is 
 the best for you." 
 
 "You must come and see it some time." 
 
 "May I soon?" 
 
 "Will you?" 
 
 " And is my my editorial forgiven ? " 
 
 "There is nothing to forgive," said she, rising 
 with the others, "only only no, there's noth- 
 ing to forgive." 
 
 An hour and a half later Darley was standing at 
 the window of his club gazing down on Fifth 
 avenue, with his hands thrust into his pockets. 
 There was no avenue with reflecting rain mirrors 
 on the asphalt, nor yet any bright-eyed cabs hurry- 
 ing by, only two large gray eyes close to the win- 
 dow-pane, and Richard had the feeling that he 
 must step through the glass and into the eyes, 
 which were private rooms containing many jewels. 
 He was murmuring to himself : " I wonder how 
 long it will be before he discovers the burglar," 
 when Beaumont's voice hailed him from behind. 
 
 "I was wondering," said Darley in reply, 
 310
 
 'A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " where Fifth avenue and the cabs and the rain had 
 gone." 
 
 "What? Oh, chuck it! Let me tell you. Fve 
 got a chance to be assistant bond clerk. Uncle 
 William's a brick." 
 
 " I dined at Mrs. Talbot's to-night," said Darley. 
 
 Freddie sat up quickly. 
 
 " Did you? " said he. " How is she? " 
 
 " Very nice, I think ; a little gray and a 
 little nervous, but then the mother of four 
 
 grown 
 
 " Thunder, Dick, I don't mean mamma." 
 
 "Oh, you mean Miss Talbot?" 
 
 "Did you suppose I meant the maid? How did 
 she seem?" 
 
 " Pretty well. Nice girl." 
 
 "Oh, stuff, man. Did she did you er 
 talk about me at all ? " 
 
 " Yes, sir, we considered your marked ability as 
 a Wall street financier." 
 
 " Did she like it ? " asked Freddie eagerly. 
 
 " She did not condemn it. You'd better go and 
 see her and tell her about it. And, by the way, tell 
 her to change the combination on the safe." 
 3H
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "The combination on the what?" asked the 
 other. "Ah, Major!" 
 
 "Good-evening, young men. I'm just in time. 
 I know you'll try just a taste in my honour my 
 birthday, you know." 
 
 Beaumont stood a moment undecided and then 
 left the other two alone. As they sat together in 
 the corner of the room, a moment later, Darley 
 said. 
 
 "Major, why did you never marry?" 
 
 The old gentleman took his cigar from his mouth 
 and turned abruptly to his questioner. 
 
 " Gad, sir, marry ! Why in the deuce should I ? " 
 
 " Oh, family ties, you know ; little tots doing the 
 cluster act about that gouty knee of yours duty 
 to humanity sweet comforts in your old age, and 
 such other elemental notes of the unit of 
 civilisation." 
 
 " Unit be damned, sir ! I don't want any of your 
 snivelling tots knocking around my knee. Nor any 
 women and folderols to pay for. No, sir, nor any 
 one woman. Look at me now ! Happy as a clam. 
 No worries. Anybody I want to wait on me, and a 
 few friends with your elements of civilisation all 
 312
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 laid out and glad to show me any time I take it into 
 my head to try them. Here I go on Sunday after- 
 noons to Albert Talbot's, and I get more of the 
 elements than I can digest all the week. No, sir," 
 as he twisted his side-whiskers forward and 
 replaced the cigar with a certain finality between 
 his lips " no, sir ! God forbid that I should have 
 been such a fool! I'm as happy as a kid with a 
 new toy now." 
 
 " Well, Major, here's to you ! I'll go to bed and 
 dream of the joys of bachelorhood if I can get 
 rid of other dreams," he added to himself. 
 
 313
 
 '*! DON'T suppose you would have come if I 
 hadn't written you." 
 
 "I was afraid," said Richard, watching her as 
 she sat hi some soft lacy gown with the late after- 
 noon sunlight behind her, "I said so many rude 
 things the other night." 
 
 ** Did you ? I took them to be the proper sayings 
 of a masquerading cynic. Here's my first child." 
 And she held up the rifle. 
 
 "May you be blessed with many of them," 
 said he. 
 
 " One is quite enough. I don't go into the woods 
 often enough for more." 
 
 " Two at least are necessary to furnish compan- 
 ionship," and he handed the rifle back to her. She 
 laid it across her knees and looked at him. 
 
 "You are speaking of guns?" 
 
 '' You spoke of children," he answered.
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 A quick tinge of colour came into her face and 
 grew as she spoke on. 
 
 "Yes, I think children are dear; don't you?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Even to cynics?" 
 
 "All the more so, because they understand us 
 better than grown people." 
 
 She leaned forward a little and said: "Why 
 have you never married?" 
 
 "Takes two." 
 
 " And " she asked, turning the gun over. 
 
 " Number two not in at the roll-call." 
 
 " Masquerading ? " 
 
 " No, sincere for once." 
 
 "Is there is there anyone who who ought 
 to be in at the roll-call ? " 
 
 He looked at her earnestly. 
 
 " Yes, Miss Talbot." 
 
 A shade went over her face. 
 
 " Tell me about her." 
 
 " I can't. She belongs to another." 
 
 "Oh, dear! Is she married?" 
 
 " No." And again he resolved to tell Freddie to 
 get a new combination on the safe. 
 315
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 Ethel's face turned to the rifle and one white 
 hand moved back and forth over the polished barrel. 
 
 "Engaged?" 
 
 " No-o." 
 
 The white hand stopped. 
 
 "Why bound, then?" 
 
 "Because the right man has her her 
 affections." 
 
 " How do you know? " 
 
 "Don't cynics have any sense of the fitness of 
 things?" 
 
 " Not always." 
 
 " Shouldn't they be respectable members of 
 society and know what is true and right and try to 
 act up to it?" 
 
 "Might not she have something to say in the 
 matter?" said she. 
 
 He did not know. He began to lose confidence 
 in himself and decided it was wiser to leave. 
 
 When he was gone Ethel sat down upon the floor 
 with the gun across her knees and cried. 
 
 316
 
 XXXVIII 
 
 IT was getting on toward spring one night when 
 Darley sat in his rooms. Richard found it dimcult 
 to keep up this playing with fire. He sat now 
 evolving a plan for stopping the business, when 
 Beaumont came in. 
 
 "What's up, Freddie?" asked the host. 
 
 " Everything's down," answered the other, sink- 
 ing into a chair. " Dick, you're the only one I can 
 talk to." 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 " Something's up. I saw Ethel last night, gave 
 out much business news and something's got in 
 between. I can see it with one eye closed and the 
 other shut." 
 
 "Well?" 
 
 " I'm in a fearful funk ! What's the matter, do 
 you suppose? Have I lost a place just as I was 
 getting up to the tape? " 
 317
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Why, you idiot, don't you see she's only sur- 
 prised at your being able to 'reach up ' ? " 
 
 " But I mustn't lose." 
 
 "No, Freddie, you mustn't lose. Show your 
 nerve. Go and see her take her by masculine 
 force." 
 
 Beaumont thought a moment and then, slapping 
 his knee, said : 
 
 " I'll do it. I'll go right now." 
 
 " No, no, don't go now," said the other in some 
 trepidation. " Wait till nine o'clock, when they will 
 be through dinner." 
 
 " All right," answered the other, " but it's a long 
 time to wait two hours." 
 
 "Oh, that's nothing in a lifetime. And so you 
 won't go till after nine, sure ? " And Freddie dis- 
 appeared with the promise given. 
 
 He had no sooner left the room than Darley went 
 to his writing-desk and wrote her : 
 
 " I have been playing a mean part. My only excuse is 
 that I did not see the meanness until the last day or two. 
 I don't know how to write it, and I am having a hard time 
 thinking how to make it clear without seeming to you a 
 conceited ass. Perhaps the only way is the direct way. 
 So here goes: To-night after you receive this there comes 
 
 318
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 to you a young man a fine fellow. He is the right one ! 
 Talk to him and hear what is in his heart. There is no 
 other man to compare with him. Don't for a moment 
 think there is! Is that impudent none of my business? 
 I do not mean it so. Only I'm very sorry for it all for 
 my part in it, and I'm very sad in fact I should like 
 to stretch my thirty-year-old-six-foot hulk on the floor 
 and cry. 
 " Good-bye, sweet lady good-bye ! " 
 
 "Peter," said Richard to the boy who answered 
 his ring, "take this note to that address at once 
 and then come back here and show me a receipt." 
 
 319
 
 XXXIX 
 
 IT was a miserable situation for a cynic. That 
 was quite evident. But then, he had given up other 
 things in this world because they were not for him, 
 and he could give this up, too. It was only neces- 
 sary to use a little philosophy and get interested 
 in something else. And thus by nightfall of the 
 next day he was sitting in the main room of the 
 Naugatuck Club, and in the morning he was out 
 on the lake with Captain Barkus watching for 
 ducks. But the first bird he killed had gray eyes. 
 and he stroked its feathers and apologised to it and 
 said he would marry it and then he threw it into 
 one corner and swore softly to himself. 
 
 "You hain't got yer eye with yer to-day, have 
 ye?" remarked the Captain. 
 
 " Yes, but it's gray." 
 
 "Eh?" queried the Captain. 
 
 "Gray, man! Haven't you ever seen gray 
 eyes ? " 
 
 320
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Aye, but what's them to do with duels 
 shooting? " 
 
 "Oh, I'm going home," said Darley. And he 
 strode off through the woods, leaving the Captain 
 to drive back alone in some wonder as to what his 
 young friend had imbibed. As he went along, if 
 he failed to read sermons in the stones, he had no 
 difficulty in reading love stories here and there 
 along the way. He wondered how the letter had 
 been received. He wondered if she thought him 
 an ass, if she laughed at him. And then he became 
 aware of the fact that she was coming toward him 
 in the narrow path. At first he thought it was his 
 absurd imagination that had run riot, and then in 
 an instant he knew that she must see him and that 
 he could not escape. 
 
 She looked up and stopped short. 
 
 " What do you mean by coming here ! " said the 
 young lady. 
 
 " I didn't mean to," said he aimlessly. 
 
 " I came here to be alone," said she as they still 
 stood watching one another. 
 
 "So did I," answered he. "Excuse me" and 
 he made as if to turn about. 
 321
 
 "You knew I would be here," said she 
 suspiciously. 
 
 "I did not really even suspect that you could 
 come here. If I had I should not have come." 
 
 " Oh, what a thing to say ! " cried she. 
 
 "That is, I wanted to avoid you I mean, I 
 knew you did not want to see me." 
 
 No answer. 
 
 " Excuse me." And he stepped aside. She hur- 
 ried by. Then she stopped suddenly, and without 
 turning her head she said : 
 
 " Were you going back to the clubhouse ? " 
 
 "Why, no " 
 
 " Because if you were I should like I think I 
 have somehow lost the path " 
 
 " Certainly," said he, coming close to her ; 
 "I was just thinking of getting back to break- 
 fast." 
 
 They turned toward the house and walked silently 
 along the little path in the morning light. Not a 
 word did either say. 
 
 Up the steps they marched and into the house. 
 There stood Albert Talbot. 
 
 "Ah, here you are, Ethel How-do, Darley? 
 322
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 Where's Fred Beaumont, Ethel? I thought he'd 
 be here by the late train last night." 
 
 " I don't think he will come, father. He went to 
 Aiken last night." And Miss Ethel gazed innocently 
 at the rug. 
 
 " Aiken last night ! Good Heavens, what a 
 man!" said the father. "He said yesterday that 
 he'd follow us up here ! " 
 
 At breakfast little was said. Darley sat by Miss 
 Talbot, and when the meal was nearly over he said : 
 
 "Shall I go away?" 
 
 And she answered: 
 
 "How can I tell?" 
 
 "Did you bring your 30-.30?" 
 
 "No. What good would a rifle be here?" 
 
 " Did you ever try a shotgun ? " 
 
 " No." 
 
 "Would you would you care to try at ducks 
 this afternoon ? " 
 
 " Were you going ? " 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "I shouldn't inconvenience you?" 
 
 " No, you wouldn't inconvenience me." 
 
 " Then I'll go. What time? " 
 
 323
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " About three o'clock." 
 
 As they sat in the shooting stand by the little 
 lake, late that afternoon, there came Barkus' signal 
 of warning over the water. 
 
 Darley said: 
 
 " So Freddie didn't come yesterday ? " 
 
 "No," said she, looking out on the bay through 
 one of the holes in the wall of the stand. 
 
 "Has he gone to Aiken in search of any- 
 thing?" 
 
 "Not forme." 
 
 "Are you all alone in the world?" 
 
 " Oh, no. I have father." 
 
 " Are you cold ? " 
 
 " No." 
 
 Alarming signals of warning from Barkus 
 across the bay. 
 
 "Are your hands cold?" 
 
 "No." 
 
 "Let me see." 
 
 She raised the nearer one, looked at it a moment 
 and slowly drew off the thick glove. And her lady- 
 ship seemed intent on the bay. 
 
 " It's very cold," said he at last. 
 324
 
 A 1 BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 No answer. 
 
 Then he carried the hand slowly to his lips. 
 
 There came the sound of an oar outside the stand. 
 
 "What in tarnation be you doin', Mr. Darley? 
 Hain't you seen them ducks ? " 
 
 Darley got up suddenly. 
 
 " What ? Where ? What's that, Barkus ? " 
 
 " Why, them fifteen birds what come nigh on to 
 knocking the stand down." 
 
 " Strange I didn't see them, Barkus," said Dar- 
 ley. " But Miss Talbot finds it too cold here. We'll 
 have to give it up and walk back through the 
 woods." 
 
 And they two left the stand left Barkus 
 grumbling at such blindness and started along 
 the little woodland path, just as the red setting 
 sun looked over the hills and trickled down through 
 the trees upon them these two, walking in the 
 cold, clear evening, hand in hand, silently. 
 
 325
 
 XL 
 
 MRS. ETHEL TALBOT BARLEY always 
 maintains that the Major made her match, be- 
 cause of his awful advice to her Richard, in spite 
 of the fact that Braveur claimed the honour for 
 his wife claimed another match which struck 
 fire, as he expressed it. But when the Major at 
 last tried the game himself he made a dismal fail- 
 ure. And that came the very next spring. 
 
 May never turned out a more beautiful morn- 
 ing than that particular one which made all the 
 trouble. Everything was growing. Little plants 
 were sticking up green shoots through the earth. 
 The blossoms had just begun to appear in round, 
 pink bulbs almost ready to burst. Little Lucy's 
 cat had a most wonderful family of four black, 
 yellow, and white kittens up in the closet on 
 the third story that the stork had been kind enough 
 to leave there the night before. Out in the barn 
 Biddy, the wire-haired Irish terrier, was busy over 
 326
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 seven children not four days old. In the dining- 
 room Jim Braveur had just helped himself and 
 Lucy and Dick and Mabel to fruit, and the sun 
 came in through the open windows on the yellow 
 heads of the children eating as fast as they could 
 stuff food into their mouths when the door opened 
 and mother came in in a loose morning gown cov- 
 ered with little pink rosebuds, and hurried to her 
 place by the coffee machine. 
 
 Everything was young and nice and May-like. 
 The whole world seemed to be hopeful and blossom- 
 ing and increasing, just as the good God means 
 it to be. 
 
 But troubles always come at such a time 
 terrible calamities that have to be overcome, or 
 gotten round, or undermined. That is the work 
 of people of brains and wit. 
 
 "Mudder," cried Lucy before that important 
 lady had fairly seated herself. 
 
 " Yes, dear," said Mrs. Braveur, struggling with 
 the coffee machine. 
 
 "Mudder, can't I can't I have I want 
 Dicky says " 
 
 " Good gracious, Lucy, what is the matter? Why 
 327
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 don't you wait till there's nothing in your mouth 
 and then get the words out properly? Sit up 
 straight, dear " 
 
 "But, mudder, can't I have a piece of candy, 
 after breakfast ? " 
 
 " No, dear." And she began opening her mail. 
 
 "Dicky has." 
 
 " Dicky hasn't. If he has, he can't have any ice 
 
 cream for Jim! what do you suppose " 
 
 and she read on breathlessly in the letter she had 
 opened. 
 
 "I've given up supposing. Have you done the 
 match-making act again?" 
 
 "Match-making! Imagine my making this 
 match! Listen: 'Dear Lucy: I have some 
 news '" 
 
 "Who is it?" 
 
 "The Major," and she read on. Then: "Good- 
 ness me ! To think of it ! " 
 
 "Impossible! Who's dead?" exclaimed her 
 husband. 
 
 "If you will listen, dear " 
 
 " Consider that I'm listening." And he went on 
 with his usual enormous breakfast. 
 328
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Why, the Major says he's engaged to be 
 married ! " 
 
 "Good Lord, he's nine thousand years old," 
 laughed Braveur. 
 
 "He's certainly sixty-eight, if he isn't seventy} 
 and wait he says: 
 
 " ' I am quite aware of the fact that everyone will laugL 
 at me, but I know you will not, and so I tell you first. I 
 am going to marry a young girl about twenty years old 
 whose name is Edith Wells. She is of good family, but 
 is an orphan and without a large supply of funds.' " 
 
 Mrs. Braveur paused and gazed at the amused 
 
 face opposite. 
 
 "And what do you suppose he says next?" 
 
 " I give it up. Children, probably." 
 
 " Jim, please remember that your own are 
 
 present ! " 
 
 "I am constantly reminded of it. Dick, that's 
 
 my leg you're kicking, not the table's." 
 
 " He wants us to ask her here, right away and 
 
 with him. What shall I do? " 
 
 "Ask her, I guess. What else?" 
 
 " But suppose she isn't isn't presentable, 
 
 know." 
 
 329
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Then we can send her back to the orphan 
 asylum." 
 
 " He wants to come this Sunday." 
 
 " Then she'll have to be here this Sunday, too, I 
 suppose. Who else is coming?" 
 
 " The Mortons, and Dicky Barnes was com- 
 ing down to try those ponies, and that's all, I 
 think." 
 
 "Oh, well, they're all harmless. We'll give the 
 twenty-year-old a blow-out." 
 
 "Think of marrying that old Union Club 
 bachelor ! " 
 
 " But you haven't got to marry him." 
 
 " I know, but I'm sorry for the girl already. I 
 wonder why she did it." 
 
 And so the letters were written, and Friday 
 night's train brought the company together. 
 
 It was only an instant after the fair girl with 
 her big hat entered the Braveur hall only an 
 instant and one anxious look when Mrs. Braveur 
 put her arms around her neck and kissed her with 
 a combination of immediate friendliness and 
 gracious hospitality. 
 
 " I'm so glad to see you, dear," said she. " To 
 330
 
 think of that great man marrying! It's 
 astonishing ! " 
 
 "Never mind, child," laughed the Major. "I 
 may have waited a long time for the right woman, 
 but I've found her," and he patted her cheek in his 
 genial fashion. 
 
 "You remember Mrs. Morton, Major," said 
 Lucy, as the two Mortons rose from behind the tea 
 table to greet him. Then she turned to present 
 Miss Wells, and caught the end of a long look out 
 upon the lawn that made the girl's eyes beautiful 
 and deep. Instinctively she glanced that way to 
 see what had held the other's glances and found 
 nothing. And then the introduction was just over 
 when the door opened and Dicky Barnes came in. 
 
 " Look here, Lucy," cried he. " Look at this for 
 an Irish terrier pup. He's mine. I've picked him 
 out I beg your pardon! How de do, Major. 
 
 Glad to see you on our farm. I " Then he 
 
 met the girl's eyes and stopped suddenly. For an 
 instant the two looked at one another. Then they 
 shook hands. 
 
 " Do you like pups, Miss Wells ? " with what 
 seemed most unnecessary seriousness. 
 331
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "When I can't find anything better," and she 
 smiled with a quaint humour at his solemnity. 
 
 "There's nothing better here, you can bank 
 on that." 
 
 " Dicky ! How unchivalrous ! " said Lucy. 
 
 "I don't mean you nor does Miss Wells. 
 There's only the Major, who's a million, and Peter 
 who's married, and Jim, who who isn't worth 
 liking " 
 
 " Dick, don't you talk so about my hus- 
 band." 
 
 " Well, he's my cousin, isn't he? I can run down 
 my own family, I suppose." 
 
 "How about yourself?" asked Mrs. Morton. 
 
 "Oh, well," said Richard with becoming embar- 
 rassment, " of course, myself, you know ! Now Miss 
 Wells might but I couldn't be forced to say 
 what she might think of me, even if 
 
 " Even if you knew ? " asked the young lady with 
 raised eyebrows. 
 
 "Even if it was uncomplimentary. But about 
 these pups " 
 
 " I love them, anyway." 
 
 "Then throw away that dishwater and cold 
 332
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 toast, and come out and see the finest family of 
 children you ever saw." 
 
 She hesitated for an instant, and then went out 
 towards the stables with him. Mrs. Braveur looked 
 at her Jim with the fleetest of glances, and saw 
 him watching the Major. 
 
 " I'm mighty glad you came down when you 
 did," said Richard with evident sincerity. 
 
 " But you haven't the slightest idea who I 
 am." 
 
 " Oh, yes I have. You're Miss Wells." 
 
 "That isn't much." 
 
 "And then you've you've got an extremely 
 becoming hat and " 
 
 " Yes, but I mean 
 
 " And I'm inclined to think any blessed thing in 
 hats or clothes would be beautiful when you " 
 
 "Are you a flirt, Mr. Barnes?" 
 
 "Do I look it?" 
 
 " You look too nice to be one, but " 
 
 " Then I deny the allegation." 
 
 " But I think your looks are are " 
 
 "Liars?" 
 
 "Well, that is rather " 
 
 333
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Do you like riding ponies polo ponies, I 
 mean?" 
 
 " I like anything that I can ride." 
 
 "Don't you want to get on one to-morrow and 
 take a run across the fields ? " 
 
 " I'd love to," cried the girl impulsively. 
 
 "Very early?" 
 
 "As early as you please." 
 
 "I'm serious." 
 
 "Do I look funny?" 
 
 "You look you gee! I wouldn't dare to 
 tell you how you look " 
 
 "What is it?" she asked anxiously, putting her 
 hands to her hair. " Is my hat crooked? " 
 
 " No-o," said Dicky, putting his head on one 
 side and looking into her eyes. " Not exactly. 
 Shall I tell you the truth? " 
 
 " Yes, please do. If anything is the matter " 
 
 "You're so nearly my ideal, that I can't 
 
 "Mr. Barnes!" 
 
 "Oh, come, don't get mad." 
 
 "Then stop saying silly things." 
 
 " Well, about the ride. Will you get up at six? " 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 334
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Prompt?" 
 
 " Of course." 
 
 "You see we can get a cup of coffee, ride an 
 hour, and then I can have breakfast and get in 
 town by ten." 
 
 " Can't you stay at home to-morrow ? " 
 
 " No. I've got to run in and make a couple of 
 million. But I'll be out by two." 
 
 "Why don't you give up these millions?" 
 
 " Because, Miss Wells, I'm a pauper not a red 
 cent you know. I've got to scrap. But I don't 
 mind; it's fun." 
 
 " I'm a pauper, too," said Miss Wells. 
 
 "You look it," said Dicky, examining her 
 critically. 
 
 " I am, really." 
 
 "Then shall we be friends?" And he held out 
 his hand to her as they went into the stable. 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Really?" 
 
 " Really." 
 
 " And you're not mad because I said you were 
 
 ;were beautiful ? " 
 
 " No-o, not if you meant it," smiling at him. 
 
 335
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Never fear," said Dicky seriously. 
 " Do you need my hand any longer ? " 
 " I beg your pardon," cried Dicky, looking down 
 at it, but still holding it. "You know, I thought 
 
 it was the pup " 
 
 " What! " And she drew her hand away 
 suddenly. 
 
 "I mean it was so warm and friendly, and 
 
 young and " 
 
 " Mr. Barnes, you are certainly a terrible flirt ! " 
 "I don't know what that means," said Dicky. 
 " But the ride's on for 6. A. M., isn't it? " 
 "All right." 
 
 " Shall I knock on your door ? " 
 " Perhaps the maid would be more proper." 
 "We'll have a bully run," said he enthusiastic- 
 ally. " Here they are," and he showed her the six 
 pups and mother Biddy and not a word had she 
 said of the Major! 
 
 336
 
 XLI 
 
 AT six the next morning Dicky took the situ- 
 tion by the horns and knocked softly on a certain 
 door. There was a quick response. 
 
 " Are you ready ? " he asked. 
 
 "Yes, I'll be down in a minute." And he had 
 hardly gotten into the dining-room when she fol- 
 lowed a little figure in gray riding habit and 
 three-cornered hat. 
 
 " Splendid ! " said he, as they shook hands. 
 " You're a good sportsman." 
 
 "Ah, but you see it's so seldom that I get a 
 ride." 
 
 " That's a pity." 
 
 " I think so, anyway. I haven't a horse now," a 
 little sadly. 
 
 " As a matter of fact," critically, " I'm inclined 
 to think you should alwa} T s dress in a habit." 
 
 "Cream in your coffee?" asked Miss Wells, 
 bending suddenly over the machine. 
 337
 
 & BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Anything you say." 
 
 "How foolish! Don't you know whether you 
 like cream or not?" 
 
 "Dishwater 'd do this morning." 
 
 "Really, Mr. Barnes, you look as if you had 
 some sense " 
 
 "But " 
 
 "But for a man to talk so at this unearthly 
 hour " 
 
 "Call it heavenly hour " 
 
 " At this early hour, sir, is absolutely idiotic." 
 
 "Let's get up every morning at this time and 
 breakfast together, and be be idiotic, will you ? " 
 
 She looked up from the machine, flushing a little 
 guiltily, but smiling, too. 
 
 " Do you know it is fun to talk to a person who 
 is somewhere near your own age ! " 
 
 " Haven't you any brothers or sisters ? " 
 
 "No, and no parents," gently. "But I lived 
 for years with a dear old maiden aunt, who brought 
 me up, and I played with no one, and now 
 
 "Now?" 
 
 " Well, now I'm breakfasting with a silly young 
 person like myself." 
 
 338
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "I say, it's kind of fun!" and he leaned across 
 the table confidentially. 
 
 "Do you think we'll get scolded?" 
 
 " I don't care." 
 
 "Then I won't, either. Come on, I'm through 
 and crazy to get on that pony." 
 
 And so in the glistening morning they rode 
 along the valley with the soft May mists clinging 
 to the ground as the sun slowly but steadily drew 
 them upwards along the valley and then up 
 through the woodland roads to the uplands and the 
 farms, where worked now the farmers harrowing 
 and planting and watching the first signs of their 
 crops. 
 
 "It is perfectly beautiful perfectly beautiful, 
 this dear fresh morning," cried the girl, with flushed 
 cheeks and glistening eyes, as they rode along. And 
 the light-hearted Dicky grew more silent, and 
 noticed less and less of the morning and more and 
 more of something else. " Why don't you talk ? " 
 she asked presently, as they walked the ponies 
 through the fields and woodland paths. 
 
 "I can't, somehow." 
 
 " I thought you were a a great talker." 
 339
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " So I am. I'm always getting squelched for it." 
 
 "Aren't you glad, this beautiful young 
 morning ? " 
 
 "Glad! Good Heavens, Miss Wells, I I- 
 say, just for this morning, you know, and because 
 we're both idiots, I'm going to call you Edith 
 that's your name, isn't it ? " 
 
 "Well I don't know perhaps for this 
 morning only! " 
 
 " Yes, this once and perhaps you're not aware 
 that for this morning this once, you know I 
 bear the historic name of Dicky." 
 
 " For this morning only ? " 
 
 "For as long as you like " 
 
 " Oh, no," laughed the girl. " Only for this ride 
 of ours." 
 
 "All right. Now Edith " She looked 
 
 across the bright fields for an instant and the quick 
 colour ran across her face again " Edith " 
 
 " Yes ? " turning towards him. 
 
 "'Yes,' what?" 
 
 "E-er Dicky?" 
 
 "That's it. Now, as we know each other very 
 
 Well and grew up together " 
 
 340
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "We must have been born yesterday then," 
 laughed the girl. 
 
 " I was and no mistake," said he seriously. 
 "Well, as we have grown up together, I will say 
 to you in the confidence of a life-long friendship, 
 that I'm so glad this beautiful morning, I could 
 wish it might never end." 
 
 "So do I!" 
 
 " If we might only do the Browning act, and 
 ride, ride together to the end of the chapter!" 
 
 " Goodness, how lame we'd be ! " 
 
 "Would you get tired?" 
 
 "Dreadfully!" 
 
 "Of me?" 
 
 " Probably." 
 
 " That's mean to Dicky, your life-long 
 friend!" 
 
 " But think of riding together for for per- 
 haps fifty years." 
 
 "I can't think of it!" exclaimed the man sud- 
 denly. " It makes me too unhappy." 
 
 " That's the first unkind thing you've said." 
 
 " Do you want me to be more explicit ? " and he 
 leaned towards her and looked into her eyes. 
 341
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 The eyes dropped and she stroked the pony's 
 mane. 
 
 "You mustn't, really!" 
 
 "Mustn't what?" 
 
 "Mustn't er be too explicit." 
 
 "Why not? I certainly begin to feel as if we 
 had grown up together." 
 
 " But after all we haven't. And you don't know 
 me " 
 
 "Yes, I do." 
 
 " Oh, no, you don't. Maybe I'm a dreadful per- 
 son, and have a terrible past." She tried to be gay 
 still, but in spite of the May morning and all the 
 happy signs about them, a little sadness and a little 
 tragedy crept into her voice. 
 
 "Never!" cried Dicky, with the blindness of 
 that time of morning and that time of life. " Never ! 
 I can see your past. It's as white and clean 
 as " 
 
 "No, it isn't." 
 
 "I don't care, anyway. I'm satisfied with this 
 morning." 
 
 " Please be sensible ! " 
 
 "No. That's not my strong point and any- 
 342
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 way I won't! How long 're you going to stay 
 here?" 
 
 " Just over Sunday." 
 
 "Oh, we'll have to fix that. A month is the 
 least " 
 
 " Don't let's worry about to-morrow. Come, I'll 
 beat you in to the gate," and off she went with the 
 pony on the run, the man following and watching 
 the grace and ease with which she sat the little 
 horse the grace and ease of a girl at home in the 
 saddle. And he thought the idiot that he had 
 never seen such a sight before. 
 
 As they dismounted at the stable and walked the 
 short-cut path through the trees to the house, he 
 stopped. 
 
 "Edith " 
 
 " Our ride is over, sir." 
 
 " Please let me until we get as far as the 
 house ! " 
 
 "No, no. I've been very bad anyway. Mr. 
 Barnes, you you won't think I've been er 
 undignified " 
 
 "I? Good Heavens, I " 
 
 "You won't " 
 
 343
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 *'I can't think of anything, but that I must 
 really have known you a long, long time I do, 
 really I sort of feel as if we were good pals, and 
 that I could tell you lots of troubles and things 
 and that we'd have some more, many more rides, 
 and " 
 
 "Wait," she was almost frightened now. 
 
 C T 
 
 "Don't say a word " 
 
 " But I must I can't ! " she murmured to her- 
 self. Then "Wait! You know I'm really 
 very old you see I've travelled and seen a 
 great deal of the world " 
 
 " Stuff ! " muttered Dick. 
 
 " And I've lived and lived " 
 
 "About eighteen years." 
 
 " Oh, a long, long time and " She looked 
 
 away at the trees, drew in her breath with a con- 
 vulsive little movement and then continued with 
 what she tried to make the same gay manner 
 "And, goodness me, I'm even engaged 
 and " 
 
 "Engaged!" laughed Richard. "Engaged to 
 what?" 
 
 344
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Engaged to Major Pendleton and " 
 
 She could not go on. 
 
 There was a sudden pause. 
 
 " You're engaged to be married? " said Dicky 
 slowly. 
 
 yes." 
 
 "You!" 
 
 " I thought you knew yes." 
 
 "To the Major?" He could not comprehend. 
 
 " Yes. He's made it possible for me to live since 
 my father and mother died, and and I'm 
 engaged to him." 
 
 They walked on toward the house without a. 
 word, across the lawn, slowly, side by side, up the 
 veranda steps. There she paused and tried to say 
 something, but failed. Then: 
 
 " I'm sorry," gently. 
 
 "Sorry you're engaged?" cried he, turning on 
 her suddenly with angry eyes. 
 
 "Oh, no, Mr. Barnes," and her whole figure 
 straightened. 
 
 "Then why sorry?" 
 
 " Nothing," said Miss Wells as she went into the 
 hall and up to her room. 
 
 345
 
 XLII 
 
 "SHE'S a dear girl, Major," said Mrs. Braveur 
 that afternoon as they sat on the veranda. "I 
 don't wonder you picked her out." 
 
 " And you're not going to make fun of me ? 
 
 " I never saw a man so afraid of ridicule. Why 
 should I?" 
 
 "Well, dear, I'm a little older than Edith." 
 
 " But if you two if you agree on it, what has 
 age to do with it?" 
 
 "That's just what I said to myself. But you 
 know Pm an old dodger - " 
 
 " You're the youngest of us all, I believe." 
 
 "And Pve a good many set notions, I'm 
 afraid - " 
 
 " She'll get used to them." 
 
 "And then, she she's not had much that is, 
 maybe she'll regret it by and by." 
 
 " Not unless you make her." 
 346
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " That shall be my object in life now," said he 
 quietly. " She means everything to me. I feel just 
 as young as she does, Lucy, and the few years left 
 to me would be lonely and miserable without her." 
 
 " I'm so glad," said Mrs. Braveur softly, put- 
 ting her hand on his arm. 
 
 " I've known her since she was a tiny baby," con- 
 tinued the Major, looking out across the lawn; 
 "watched her grow up and develop. I've worked 
 over her poor weak father's tiny estate " 
 
 " And pieced it out here and there ? " 
 
 " It was my joy, dear. And I have seen her sud- 
 denly bloom into a beautiful woman. They'll say 
 I'm in my second childhood, but good God, Lucy, 
 a man's only old when he feels so!" And Jim 
 Braveur came up from the stables. 
 
 " Where's that scamp, Barnes ? " he asked. " He 
 was going out with those ponies, and I haven't seen 
 hide or hair of him." 
 
 " He's in the library, or was a few minutes ago." 
 
 " Oh, Dick ! " called Braveur. 
 
 " What's up ? " came a voice from inside the 
 house, and Richard appeared. 
 
 "What about those ponies, loafer?" 
 
 347
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "I rode one this morning." 
 
 "Which?" 
 
 "The bay, I think." 
 
 "You think! Say, Dick, don't you know the 
 colour of your mount ? " 
 
 "It was the piebald pony," said Miss Wells, 
 coming out for tea. 
 
 "How- -" 
 
 " We got up early and rode two of them. I had 
 a black one and Mr. Barnes rode the piebald." 
 
 " I suppose it was so dark that Dick couldn't tell 
 the colour," said Braveur sarcastically. 
 
 "Yep, that was it," answered Richard listlessly. 
 
 Mrs. Braveur glanced from one to the other, 
 with the extraordinary faculty of woman. She 
 knew something was wrong and tried to guess the 
 cause. Something was wrong, that was not to be 
 questioned. But what? She could not guess, yet 
 she would know before long, or her name 
 wasn't 
 
 "Where did you go, Edith, dear?" 
 
 "I haven't the remotest idea. We went up the 
 valley, then through woods, then on hills, then 
 home." 
 
 348
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " How'd they go, Dick ? " asked Braveur. 
 
 "The piebald's rotten," remarked Mr. Barnes. 
 
 " That's encouraging. I paid three hundred and 
 a half for her." 
 
 "Miss Wells can tell you about the black." 
 
 " I thought he went beautifully, Mr. Braveur." 
 
 Still Lucy's keen mind was searching, studying, 
 divining. But she could make nothing of it. No 
 one seemed to be aware of anything different, yet 
 she knew it was there. And all through tea, all 
 through dinner, she kept steadily on, because she 
 was a woman and because to a woman such prob- 
 lems must and shall be solved. 
 
 She was watching unconsciously as they started 
 over for the club dance, which on this Saturday 
 was a little more extensive than usual, as it cele- 
 brated the official opening of the club for the 
 summer. 
 
 The Major sat on the piazza, for a while with the 
 others, and then joined a bridge table in the card 
 room made up of some cronies of his. The Braveurs 
 danced Lucy maintained that she would dance 
 till she died, even if she lived to be a hundred Mr. 
 Richard Barnes, gloomy and cross he scarcely 
 
 349
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 knew why stood in the doorway of the big hall 
 that was cleared for dancing and watched a certain 
 light-haired young girl in a white frock as she 
 swung round the room. He had not danced yet. 
 He had decided he wouldn't. 
 
 Then he caught a look across the room, and 
 threw good resolutions and gloomy ones to the 
 winds. 
 
 "Will you consent to dance with me?" he asked 
 in what he vainly believed to be a fine offhand 
 society manner. 
 
 "Why not?" said she. "That is, if you can 
 dance." 
 
 And so they started off with a waltz, gliding 
 here and there and everywhere, out in the crowd, 
 then seeking little corners for a quiet step and rest, 
 moving out into the swing again for a quick dash 
 neither speaking, neither thinking overmuch, 
 perhaps, but suiting one another's step as if they 
 had been taught to dance together. He could hear 
 her quick breathing close to his ear, and asked: 
 
 "Tired?" 
 
 " No ; I love it." 
 
 And then out again into the whirl with a long, 
 350
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 easy step that sent Dicky's heart flying at a dan- 
 gerous pace and then the music stopped. 
 
 " That was splendid ! " cried the girl, looking 
 up at him with a flushed and smiling face. 
 
 " Come out and get cool," and they walked along 
 the dark veranda and sat down on the steps. 
 
 Silence for a time. 
 
 " Are you angry with me? " 
 
 "I? Why should I be?" 
 
 " Because because you were so kind and 
 
 and jolly this morning, and now all day well, 
 j 
 
 " I haven't congratulated you on your engage- 
 ment yet." 
 
 " No." 
 
 "I do now." 
 
 " Thank you." 
 
 Silence. 
 
 "You are angry with me," said the girl 
 presently. 
 
 Then he turned to her. 
 
 "Shall I tell you why?" 
 
 " I don't know perhaps you'd better not." 
 
 " I'll tell you a fairy story, then." 
 
 351
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Is it wise to?" 
 
 "Probably not." 
 
 " Then I wouldn't." 
 
 "I must. I can't help it. You see, there was 
 once in Arcady a foolish idiot of a man." 
 
 "He's usually a prince," murmured the girl, 
 hardly realising what she said. 
 
 "Well, this feller was just a plain idiot." 
 
 " I can't imagine a story being interesting with 
 a hero who is an idiot." She was sparring for time. 
 
 "This won't interest you, I imagine, but 
 it does me. This idiot met a beautiful young 
 princess " 
 
 " Ah, that's better. But I hope she isn't going 
 to fall in love with the idiot." 
 
 "Oh!" said Miss Wells suddenly, in a different 
 tone. 
 
 " The idiot met her, and and well, this idiot 
 simply keeled over the very first instant he laid eyes 
 on her. He couldn't help it, Miss Wells, this idiot 
 he had nothing to do with it. Is that possible, 
 do you think?" 
 
 She did not answer at once. Then she said in a 
 low, startled voice: 
 
 352
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "I don't know." 
 
 "It must be, because it's a fact and the idiot 
 just kept on from the start. It was all so new 
 and strange and so so right, he thought, this 
 idiot " 
 
 " Please don't ! " begged the girl. 
 
 "And he showed it, I guess, because she 
 that is, this princess by and by divined it 
 
 "All at once," said she earnestly. 
 
 " And then she told him she was going to marry 
 the " 
 
 "Mr. Barnes," said she, "ought you to tell me 
 this fairy story ? " 
 
 "No," said Dicky gloomily. 
 
 "Ought I to listen to it?" 
 
 " No," he repeated. 
 
 Lucy Braveur, with the instinctive responsibility 
 of chaperonage born in her, had missed her charge 
 and begun to look about to see if the girl was hav- 
 ing a good time. Not finding her in the room, she 
 tried the piazza, and came upon the backs of a 
 white frock and a black coat. And before she 
 could move away she heard three sentences. 
 
 " Oughtn't this man," she heard Miss Wells say 
 353
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " I won't call him an idiot, because I don't believe 
 he is was one oughtn't he to have forgotten 
 the princess then at once ? " 
 
 "Yes, Miss Wells, but he can't! He can't! 
 That's all there is about it. He can't and 
 won't! " 
 
 " Then the princess will," said she. " Shall we 
 go in ? " 
 
 "Oh!" whispered Lucy Braveur to herself as 
 she went quickly back into the room. " It can't be ! 
 It mustn't be! How dreadful! What can I do?" 
 And for a long time that night she lay wide 
 awake, thinking, thinking. 
 
 Next day they were persuaded to stay over for 
 the following week the^Yfajor and his fiancee. It 
 was a jolly week. They had dinners and picnics 
 and sails and what not. But one night the Major 
 and Mrs. Braveur were sitting by themselves. It 
 seemed to her that he had with great care arranged 
 that they should. So she waited. 
 
 "Child," said the old man presently, "I've got 
 to talk to somebody a woman, too. And you're 
 about the wisest one I know." 
 
 She looked up at him sympathetically, but said 
 354
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 nothing. He did not look at her at all. He sat 
 quietly thinking a moment with a shadow over the 
 face that had so many fine lines in it. 
 
 " I made a mistake yesterday." 
 
 " You ? " as he hesitated to go on. 
 
 " I saw Edith and young Barnes walking 
 together." 
 
 "You did?" 
 
 " Edith has been very different this week all 
 her light nature seems to have gone. I I couldn't 
 understand it." He hesitated again. 
 
 " She'll be all right," said Mrs. Braveur, trying 
 to be reassuring. 
 
 "Yes," said the Major sadly. "She'll be all 
 right presently. But, Lucy, I suddenly seemed to 
 see something from the way those two children 
 walked and talked as they went down by the woods 
 on the shore. Then do you know what I did? " and 
 he turned and looked straight at her. 
 
 "What?" 
 
 " I followed them and listened." 
 
 "Major Pendleton!" 
 
 " I did. And and, child, she " 
 
 Jim and Dick came suddenly into the room. 
 
 355
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 The hostess quickly touched the Major's arm 
 and motioned him to follow her. They went up to 
 her sitting-room and closed the door. 
 
 No one has ever known what happened there, 
 but when Lucy came out into the hall with him she 
 put her arms tight around the courtly old gentle- 
 man's neck and kissed him and whispered: 
 
 "You dear! You dear!" 
 
 356
 
 xLin 
 
 "DICKY," called Lucy from the hall just after 
 tea a day later. The usual afternoon family func- 
 tion had been rather sombre, because the Major had 
 suddenly been called back to town on business 
 the man who had no business for thirty years 
 and Miss Wells had been absent for no known 
 reason. " Dicky, come here." 
 
 " What's up ? " asked that gentleman, appearing 
 at the door. 
 
 She took hold of his coat and the small hand 
 trembled visibly. 
 
 " Dicky, will you go up to my sewing-room and 
 get something on the sofa ? " 
 
 " Sure," said Richard, starting away. 
 
 "Wait. It's it's on the sofa, I think. But 
 maybe it isn't." 
 
 "What under the sun are you driving at, 
 Lucy? " said Richard, beginning to study her more 
 closely. 
 
 357
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " It's there, Dick," she said, reaching up and 
 taking the two brown manly cheeks between her 
 hands. " It's there, Dick, and it it isn't engaged 
 
 any more " and she reached up and kissed 
 
 him. 
 
 But Richard did not need more than one hint. 
 He bounded up the stairs and knocked on the sit- 
 ting-room door. Receiving no reply, he went in 
 without more ado. 
 
 On the sofa was a jumble of soft, gray gown. 
 He shut the door softly and went quietly across the 
 room and took the gray gown in his arms. It shook 
 and sobbed a little, but did not move. 
 
 " Edith ! " begged he. " Stop ! Look at me." 
 
 "I can't! It's terrible!" 
 
 " No, it isn't, dear. It's all right, it's " 
 
 Suddenly she turned on him. 
 
 "Look! Look! Read that!" 
 
 He picked up the letter and read it through. 
 Then laying it on the sofa, he turned to her again 
 and slowly moved the flushed face with its frame of 
 tangled hair towards him. 
 
 "I'm doggoned if he isn't the whitest old cock 
 that ever lived." 
 
 358
 
 " White ! " cried she. " I love him, Dick ! I do 
 really!" 
 
 "Sure! So do I!" 
 
 " But how can II oh, what am I saying ! " 
 
 "You can. Go on. We're both in it. But 
 but I want my kind!" 
 
 " I've only known you a week, and I've known 
 him all my life." 
 
 "Well, you'll know me all the rest of your life, 
 so it's square." 
 
 "But " 
 
 " Tell me look at me first tell me, dear 
 heart, can the princess stand the idiot?" 
 
 She turned away from him suddenly and said 
 nothing. 
 
 "Can she?" 
 
 "That was a horrid story. You're not an 
 idiot." 
 
 "What am I?" 
 
 " I don't know I wish I did. You you 
 ah, Dick, can we have some more rides together ? " 
 
 "Yes, dear." 
 
 " Very early in the mornings ? " 
 
 "Sure." 
 
 359
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "And will it always be May with little flowers 
 and trees growing and mists in the valleys ? " 
 
 " It will, if I can make it so, Edith." 
 
 "Will you try hard, hard?" 
 
 " For all I'm worth." 
 
 " And never let me grow old never, Dick ? " 
 
 " Never." 
 
 " If you only knew if you only knew ! " mur- 
 mured the girl, clinging close to him. 
 
 "What!" 
 
 " If you only knew what it is to be with someone 
 who isn't dignified and polite and correct and 
 right!" 
 
 " Well, say, young woman " 
 
 11 Don't ever be dignified, Dicky, will you ? " 
 
 " Never, s' help me ! " and he put his hand on the 
 bright hair and turned her face up to his. And 
 when he saw the glistening eyes shining up so earn- 
 estly at him, he said again slowly : 
 
 "Never will I do anything that shall change 
 your face from what it is now. If I do " 
 
 But she put her hand gently over his mouth. 
 
 360
 
 XLIV 
 
 DOWN at the Naugatuck colony, in their home, 
 one evening a day or two later sat Mr. James 
 Braveur and his wife. The lamp in the library 
 shed a yellow light over the room, and though he 
 had been now for some twelve years married, Jim 
 happened to glance towards the person sitting near 
 by, who had agreed to stick by him for better or 
 worse. He would never have acknowledged it, but 
 there came into his mind the thought that he had 
 done pretty well on the whole. 
 
 She was sewing at the moment on something that 
 had little arms to it and was white and youthful. 
 Suddenly, without looking up, she said: 
 
 " I was right, Jim." 
 
 " Of course. How could you be otherwise? " 
 
 " You don't know what I mean at all." 
 
 " Not at all." 
 
 " Then, why do you agree? " 
 
 " Because if I didn't, there'd be a row." 
 361
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Don't you think I'm usually right, dear?" she 
 asked, leaving her work and coming over to sit on 
 the arm of his big chair. 
 
 " That's what I said." 
 
 "Well, you remember I said Ethel Talbot had 
 at last started on the right course at our dance last 
 winter." 
 
 " Throwing over Freddie Beaumont ? " 
 
 " Well, that's not a very nice way to put it." 
 
 " I remember," said he, smiling at her. 
 
 " Jim, don't you laugh at me ! " 
 
 "Not for worlds! Who's the fair Miss Talbot 
 got?" 
 
 " She wrote me to-day she was married to Rich- 
 ard Darley." 
 
 " Why, child, he's a journalist ! He hasn't got a 
 cent, and never will have." 
 
 "Is money necessary, Jim?" asked Lucy, look- 
 ing into space. 
 
 "Absolutely." 
 
 "Wouldn't we be happy without it?" 
 
 "We'd be hungry, anyway." 
 
 "You haven't got one atom of sentiment, 
 dear." 
 
 362
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Not one, when it comes to food." 
 
 "Well, you needn't worry about Ethel. Her 
 father has given her half a million as a wedding 
 present." 
 
 "Then I don't think I need worry about 
 Darley." 
 
 " That's a mean thing to say, Jim." 
 
 " It's true, though." 
 " No, it isn't," and she sat up on the arm and 
 
 turned to him. " Ethel wrote me to-day and said 
 he would not let her touch one cent of it." 
 
 " Wait till they get hungry." 
 
 " He says he has six thousand a year and they 
 are going to live on that in a little apartment " 
 
 "With twenty thousand a year rolling up in a 
 bank ? You watch them." 
 
 " Jim, you're such a hypocrite ! You know you're 
 just as glad as I am!" and she slid down into his 
 lap and put her arm around his neck. 
 
 The door opened and little Lucy ran in. 
 
 "Mother, mayn't I have a piece of candy no 
 no, you can't do that, father ! " and the little girl 
 climbed up on his other knee, to the amusement of 
 both parents, and deliberately took the arm that 
 
 363
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 was around her mother and put it around her own 
 neck, holding it tight. 
 
 "What's the matter, kid?" asked Braveur. 
 
 " Nol No 1 " cried the girl, holding the arm tight. 
 
 " Seems to me I'm in demand to-night," laughed 
 the father. 
 
 " Lucy, what are you doing up at this hour ? It's 
 half-past seven." 
 
 "Annette won't give me a piece of candy with 
 my supper." 
 
 " Well, run along, dear. You can have one piece, 
 if you'll go quick to bed." 
 
 "One of the big pieces?" and the child looked 
 at her mother as she slackened her hold on her 
 father's arm. 
 
 " Yes, two of 'em," laughed Braveur. " Come, 
 now, scoot ! " 
 
 There was a pause after she had run away, call- 
 ing gleefully for Annette. 
 
 "I wonder if Lucy will be pretty," mused Mrs. 
 Braveur, resuming her position. 
 
 No answer, except perhaps an almost inaudible 
 chuckle. 
 
 " She ought to be." 
 
 3 6 4
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 "Inheritance?" 
 
 " Well, am I homely ? You don't dare to tell me 
 lam!" 
 
 "No, I don't." 
 
 " I do hope she'll have IT." 
 
 "What IT?" 
 
 "Oh, you know. Something that every woman 
 must have something that makes men like her 
 something that never leaves her alone at a dance 
 that makes all her clothes just right that " 
 
 " Don't worry. She'll have that all right." 
 
 " Inheritance again ? " 
 
 " Absolutely." 
 
 " Now you're getting in a better frame of 
 mind." Then, after a pause, " I really think Billy 
 Winthrop is quite devoted to her " 
 
 "Good Lord, Lu! You don't mean to tell me 
 you're trying to get your own eleven-year-old 
 daughter married ! " and Braveur sat up and burst 
 into laughter. 
 
 " She's got to marry sometime, dear." 
 
 " Well, that is the limit ! " and he sank back 
 in his chair and laughed again. There was an 
 ominous silence on the part of the other occupant 
 
 365
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 of that chair. "Have you got Dick and Mabel 
 fixed yet?" 
 
 " Don't be an idiot, Jim." 
 
 " I'm not the person that noun belongs to. Dear 
 me, you'll have to begin pretty soon on the wearer 
 of that frock you're making." 
 
 She got a little closer to him and said softly : 
 
 "Don't you like your children, dear?" 
 
 " They can't charge us with racial suicide, any- 
 way. That's one comfort." 
 
 "Don't you like them?" she repeated without 
 paying attention to what he said. 
 
 Mr. James Braveur paused a while, until his 
 wife turned her head so that she could look up into 
 his face. 
 
 "Don't you?" 
 
 " I'll tell you what we'll do, Lu." 
 
 "What?" 
 
 " We'll make a compact to have one under three 
 years old in this house as long as we live." 
 
 "Goodness!" cried Lucy, sitting up suddenly. 
 " Goodness me ! There might be twenty ! " 
 
 "I don't care." 
 
 "Why?" 
 
 366
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " Well, in the first place that will keep your old 
 age green getting them married " 
 
 "Jim!" 
 
 " And in the second place I I well I 
 rather like one of the soft things toddling round, 
 you know." 
 
 Her arm tightened a little round his neck. 
 
 "Better than dogs?" 
 
 " Ye-es ! " 
 
 "Than horses?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Than wives?" 
 
 " Well, I can't have but one, and so I'm not able 
 to answer that ? " 
 
 " Better than one wife ? " 
 
 " Ah ! That's a question philosophers have tried 
 to settle these thousand years." 
 
 " Well, sir, you must settle it this minute ! " 
 
 "All right. I decide for the wife." 
 
 "You're safe. The children can't get mad." 
 
 "That was the course of my reasoning," said 
 Braveur. 
 
 "Don't you love me, Jim, dear?" asked his lady, 
 a little irritated. 
 
 367
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 " I've said I did several times." 
 
 "Well you ought to say it oftener. Don't you 
 like my 'match-making,' as you call it?" 
 
 "I'm not the one that can object to that." 
 
 "Don't you know why I like it so?" 
 
 " Bless my soul, I can't imagine ! " 
 
 " Because, dear, because I don't think I'll tell 
 you." 
 
 "What's the reason?" and Jim was a little 
 interested. 
 
 "You don't deserve to know." 
 
 " Tell me and I'll live up to it hereafter." 
 
 "Will you really?" 
 
 "Honour bright!" 
 
 She nestled down on his shoulder again and said 
 softly : 
 
 " Because I've been so happy myself that I want 
 everybody to do likewise." 
 
 The man in Braveur would not let him say a 
 word, but he turned his head and kissed the lips 
 that quivered a little so close to his, and then he 
 turned guiltily to see if anyone had witnessed 
 and discovered six feet of dignified and unseeing 
 butler standing in the doorway. 
 368
 
 A BOX OF MATCHES 
 
 Jim jumped upright as the six feet announced: 
 
 " Dinner is served, madam." 
 
 Even Lucy started at these solemn and unex- 
 pected words, and then, as Thomas disappeared, she 
 turned and looked at. her husband as he stood glanc- 
 ing sheepishly at the empty doorway. 
 
 She gave a happy little laugh and ran to him 
 and kissed him again, crying: 
 
 " Oh, Jim, dear, you haven't changed one atom 
 in twelve long years not one atom ! " 
 
 THE END 
 
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 Dr. Lavendar's fine, kindly wisdom is brought to bear upon the lives of 
 all, permeating the whole volume like the pungent odor of pine, healthful 
 and life giving. " Old Chester Tales " will surely be among the books that 
 abide. 
 
 THE MEMOIRS OF A BABY. By Josephine Daskam. Illus- 
 trated by F. Y. Cory. 
 
 The dawning intelligence of the baby was grappled with by its great aunt, 
 an elderly maiden, whose book knowledge ofDapies was something at which 
 even the infant himself winked. A delicious bit of humor. 
 
 REBECCA MARY. By Annie Hamilton Donnell. Illustrated 
 
 by Elizabeth Shippen Green. 
 
 The heart tragedies of this little girl with no one near to share them, are 
 told with a delicate art, a keen appreciation of the needs of the childish 
 heart and a humorous knowledge of the workings of the childish mind. 
 
 THE FLY ON THE WHEEL. By Katherine Cecil Thurston. 
 
 Frontispiece by Harrison Fisher. 
 
 An Irish story of real power, perfect in development and showing a true 
 conception of the spirited Hibernian character as displayed in the tragic as 
 well as the tender phases of life. 
 
 THE MAN FROM BRODNEY'S. By George Barr McCutcheon. 
 Illustrated by Harrison Fisher. 
 
 An island in the South Sea is the setting for this entertaining tale, and 
 an all-conquering hero and a beautiful princess figure in a most complicated 
 plot. One of Mr. McCutcheon's best books. 
 
 TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS. By Joel Chandler Harris. Illus- 
 trated by A. B. Frost, J. M. Conde and Frank Verbeck. 
 
 Again Uncle Remus enters the fields of childhood, and leads another 
 little boy to that non-locatable land called " Brer Rabbit's Laughing 
 Place," and again the quaint animals spring into active life and play their 
 parts, for the edification of a small but appreciative audience. 
 THE CLIMBER. By E. F. Benson. With frontispiece. 
 
 An unsparing analysis of an ambitious woman's soul a woman who 
 believed that in social supremacy she would find happiness, and who finds 
 instead the utter despair of one who has chosen the things that pass away. 
 
 LYNCH'S DAUGHTER. By Leonard Merrick. Illustrated by 
 
 Geo. Brehm. 
 
 _ A story of to-day, telling how a rich girl acquires ideals of beautiful and 
 simple living, and of men and love, quite apart from the teachings of her 
 father, " Old Man Lynch ".of, Wall St. True to life, clever in treatment. 
 
 GROSSET & DUNLAP, 526 WEST 26th ST. , NEW YORK.
 
 GROSSET & DUNLAP'S 
 
 DRAMATIZED NOVELS 
 
 A Few that are Making Theatrical History 
 
 MARY JANE'S PA. By Norman Way. Illustrated with scenes 
 
 from the play. 
 
 Delightful, irresponsible " Mary Jane's Pa " awakes one morning to find 
 himself famous, and, genius being ill adapted to domestic joys, he wanders 
 from home to work out his own unique destiny. One of the most humorous 
 bits of recent fiction. 
 
 CHERUB DEVINE. By Sewell Ford. 
 
 " Cherub," a. good hearted but not over refined young man is brought in 
 touch with the aristocracy. Of sprightly wit, he is sometimes a merciless 
 analyst, but he proves in the end that manhood counts for more than anci- 
 ent lineage by winning the love of the fairest girl in the flock. 
 
 A WOMAN'S WAY. By Charles Somerville. Illustrated with 
 
 scenes from the play. 
 
 A story in which a woman's wit and self-sacrificing love save her husband 
 from the toils of an adventuress, and change an apparently tragic situation 
 into one of delicious comedy. 
 
 THE CLIMAX. By George C. Jenks. 
 
 With ambition luring her on, a young choir soprano leaves the little village 
 where she was born and the limited audience of St. Jude's to train for the 
 opera in New York. She leaves love behind her andmeets love more ardent 
 but not more sincere in her new environment. How she works, how she 
 studies, how she suffers, are vividly portrayed. 
 
 A FOOL THERE WAS. By Porter Emerson Browne, Illus- 
 trated by Edmund Magrath and W. W. Fawcett. 
 A relentless portrayal of the career of a man who C9mes under the influence 
 of a beautiful but evil woman ; how she lures him on and on, how he 
 struggles, falls and rises, only to fall again into her net, make a story of 
 unflinching realism. 
 
 THE SQUAW MAN. By Julie Opp Faversham and Edwin 
 
 Milton Royle. Illustrated with scenes from the play. 
 A glowing story, rapid in action, bright in dialogue with a fine courageous 
 hero and a beautiful English heroine. 
 
 THE GIRL IN WAITING. By Archibald Eyre. Illustrated 
 with scenes from the play. 
 
 A droll little comedy of misunderstandings, told with a light touch, a ven- 
 turesome spirit and an eye for human oddities. 
 
 THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL. By Baroness Orczy. Illus- 
 trated with scenes from the play. 
 
 A realistic story of the days of the French Revolution, abounding in 
 dramatic incident, with a young English soldier of fortune, daring, mysteri- 
 ous as the hero, 
 
 GROSSET & DUNLAP, 526 WEST 26th ST., NEW YORK
 
 University of California Library 
 Los Angeles 
 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 
 
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