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solace　for　their　misery　in　solitude　and　in　communion　with　nature；
he　at　once　drove　his　car　to　Lone　Lake。　　But　his　misery　was　quite
genuine；　and　the　emptiness　of　the　brick　house　only　served　to
increase　his　loneliness。　　He　had　built　the　house　for　her；　though
she　had　never　visited　it；　and　was　associated　with　it　only　through
the　somewhat　indefinite　medium　of　the　telephone　box。　　But　in　New
York　they　had　been　much　together。　　And　Ainsley　quickly　decided　that
in　revisiting　those　places　where　he　had　been　happy　in　her　company
he　would　derive　from　the　recollection　some　melancholy　consolation。
He　accordingly　raced　back　through　the　night　to　the　city；　nor　did　he
halt　until　he　was　at　the　door　of　her　house。　　She　had　left　it　only
that　morning；　and　though　it　was　locked　in　darkness；　it　still　spoke
of　her。　　At　least　it　seemed　to　bring　her　nearer　to　him　than　when　he
was　listening　to　the　frogs　in　the　lake；　and　crushing　his　way
through　the　pines。

He　was　not　hungry；　but　he　went　to　a　restaurant　where；　when　he　was
host；　she　had　often　been　the　honored　guest；　and　he　pretended　they
were　at　supper　together　and　without　a　chaperon。　　Either　the
illusion；　or　the　supper　cheered　him；　for　he　was　encouraged　to　go　on
to　his　club。　　There　in　the　library；　with　the　aid　of　an　atlas；　he
worked　out　where；　after　thirteen　hours　of　moving　at　the　rate　of
twenty…two　knots　an　hour；　she　should　be　at　that　moment。　　Having
determined　that　fact　to　his　own　satisfaction；　he　sent　a　wireless
after　the　ship。　　It　read：　〃It　is　now　midnight　and　you　are　in
latitude　40　degrees　north；　longitude　68　degrees　west；　and　I　have
grown　old　and　gray　waiting　for　the　sign。〃

The　next　morning；　and　for　many　days　after；　he　was　surprised　to　find
that　the　city　went　on　as　though　she　still　were　in　it。　　With
unfeeling　regularity　the　sun　rose　out　of　the　East　River。　　On
Broadway　electric…light　signs　flashed；　street…cars　pursued　each
other；　taxicabs　bumped　and　skidded；　women；　and　even　men；　dared　to
look　happy；　and　had　apparently　taken　some　thought　to　their　attire。
They　did　not　respect　even　his　widowerhood。　　They　smiled　upon　him；
and　asked　him　jocularly　about　the　farm　and　his　〃crops；〃　and　what　he
was　doing　in　New　York。　　He　pitied　them；　for　obviously　they　were
ignorant　of　the　fact　that　in　New　York　there　were　art　galleries；
shops；　restaurants　of　great　interest；　owing　to　the　fact　that　Polly
Kirkland　had　visited　them。　　They　did　not　know　that　on　upper　Fifth
Avenue　were　houses　of　which　she　had　deigned　to　approve；　or　which
she　had　destroyed　with　ridicule；　and　that　to　walk　that　avenue　and
halt　before　each　of　these　houses　was　an　inestimable　privilege。

Each　day；　with　pathetic　vigilance；　Ainsley　examined　his　heart　for
the　promised　sign。　　But　so　far　from　telling　him　that　the　change　he
longed　for　had　taken　place；　his　heart　grew　heavier；　and　as　weeks
went　by　and　no　sign　appeared；　what　little　confidence　he　had　once
enjoyed　passed　with　them。

But　before　hope　entirely　died；　several　false　alarms　had　thrilled
him　with　happiness。　　One　was　a　cablegram　from　Gibraltar　in　which
the　only　words　that　were　intelligible　were　〃congratulate〃　and
〃engagement。〃　　This　lifted　him　into　an　ecstasy　of　joy　and
excitement；　until；　on　having　the　cable　company　repeat　the　message；
he　learned　it　was　a　request　from　Miss　Kirkland　to　congratulate　two
mutual　friends　who　had　just　announced　their　engagement；　and　of
whose　address　she　was　uncertain。　　He　had　hardly　recovered　from　this
disappointment　than　he　was　again　thrown　into　a　tumult　by　the
receipt　of　a　mysterious　package　from　the　custom…house　containing　an
intaglio　ring。　　The　ring　came　from　Italy；　and　her　ship　had　touched
at　Genoa。　　The　fact　that　it　was　addressed　in　an　unknown　handwriting
did　not　disconcert　him；　for　he　argued　that　to　make　the　test　more
difficult　she　might　disguise　the　handwriting。　　He　at　once　carried
the　intaglio　to　an　expert　at　the　Metropolitan　Museum；　and　when　he
was　told　that　it　represented　Cupid　feeding　a　fire　upon　an　altar；　he
reserved　a　stateroom　on　the　first　steamer　bound　for　the
Mediterranean。　　But　before　his　ship　sailed；　a　letter；　also　from
Italy；　from　his　aunt　Maria；　who　was　spending　the　winter　in　Rome；
informed　him　that　the　ring　was　a　Christmas　gift　from　her。　　In　his
rage　he　unjustly　condemned　Aunt　Maria　as　a　meddling　old　busybody；
and　gave　her　ring　to　the　cook。

After　two　months　of　pilgrimages　to　places　sacred　to　the　memory　of
Polly　Kirkland；　Ainsley　found　that　feeding　his　love　on　post…mortems
was　poor　fare；　and；　in　surrender；　determined　to　evacuate　New　York。
Since　her　departure　he　had　received　from　Miss　Kirkland　several
letters；　but　they　contained　no　hint　of　a　change　in　her　affections；
and　search　them　as　he　might；　he　could　find　no　cipher　or　hidden
message。　　They　were　merely　frank；　friendly　notes　of　travel；　at
first　filled　with　gossip　of　the　steamer；　and　later　telling　of
excursions　around　Cairo。　　If　they　held　any　touch　of　feeling　they
seemed　to　show　that　she　was　sorry　for　him；　and　as　she　could　not
regard　him　in　any　way　more　calculated　to　increase　his
discouragement；　he；　in　utter　hopelessness；　retreated　to　the
solitude　of　the　farm。　　In　New　York　he　left　behind　him　two　trunks
filled　with　such　garments　as　a　man　would　need　on　board　a　steamer
and　in　the　early　spring　in　Egypt。　　They　had　been　packed　and　in
readiness　since　the　day　she　sailed　away；　when　she　had　told　him　of
the　possible　sign。　　But　there　had　been　no　sign。　　Nor　did　he　longer
believe　in　one。　　So　in　the　baggage…room　of　an　hotel　the　trunks　were
abandoned；　accumulating　layers　of　dust　and　charges　for　storage。

At　the　farm　the　snow　still　lay　in　the　crevices　of　the　rocks　and
beneath　the　branches　of　the　evergreens；　but　under　the　wet；　dead
leaves　little　flowers　had　begun　to　show　their　faces。　　The　〃backbone
of　the　winter　was　broken〃　and　spring　was　in　the　air。　　But　as
Ainsley　was　certain　that　his　heart　also　was　broken；　the　signs　of
spring　did　not　console　him。　　At　each　week…end　he　filled　the　house
with　people；　but　they　found　him　gloomy　and　he　found　them　dull。　　He
liked　better　the　solitude　of　the　midweek　days。　　Then　for　hours　he
would　tramp　through　the　woods；　pretending　she　was　at　his　side；
pretending　he　was　helping　her　across　the　streams　swollen　with
winter　rains　and　melted　snow。　　On　these　excursions　he　cut　down
trees　that　hid　a　view　he　thought　she　would　have　liked；　he　cut　paths
over　which　she　might　have　walked。　　Or　he　sat　idly　in　a　flat…
bottomed　scow　in　the　lake　and　made　a　pretence　of　fishing。　　The
loneliness　of　the　lake　and　the　isolation　of　the　boat　suited　his
humor。　　He　did　not　find　it　true　that　misery　loves　company。　　At
least　to　human　beings　he　preferred　his　companions　of　Lone　Lakethe
beaver　building　his　home　among　the　reeds；　the　kingfisher；　the　blue
heron；　the　wild　fowl　that　in　their　flight　north　rested　for　an　hour
or　a　day　upon　the　peaceful　waters。　　He　looked　upon　them　as　his
guests；　and　when　they　spread　their　wings　and　left　him　again　alone
he　felt　he　had　been　hardly　used。

It　was　while　he　was　sunk　in　this　state　of　melancholy；　and　some
months　after　Miss　Kirkland　had　sailed　to　Egypt；　that　hope　returned。

For　a　week…end　he　had　invited　Holden　and　Lowell；　two　former
classmates；　and　Nelson　Mortimer　and　his　bride。　　They　were　all　old
friends　of　their　host　and　well　acquainted　with　the　cause　of　his
discouragement。　　So　they　did　not　ask　to　be　entertained；　but；
disregarding　him；　amused　themselves　after　their　own　fashion。　　It
was　late　Friday　afternoon。　　The　members　of　the　house…party　had　just
returned　from　a　tramp　through　the　woods　and　had　joined　Ainsley　on
the　terrace；　where　he　stood　watching　the　last　rays　of　the　sun　leave
the　lake　in　darkness。　　All　through　the　day　there　had　been　sharp
splashes　of　rain　with　the　clouds　dull　and　forbidding；　but　now　the
sun　was　sinking　in　a　sky　of　crimson；　and　for　the　morrow　a　faint
moon　held　out　a　promise　of　fair　weather。

Elsie　Mortimer　gave　a　sudden　exclamation；　and　pointed　to　the　east。
〃Look！〃　she　said。

The　men　turned　and　followed　the　direction　of　her　hand。　　In　the
fading　light；　against　a　background　of　sombre　clouds　that　the　sun
could　not　reach；　they　saw；　moving　slowly　toward　them　and　descending
as　they　moved；　six　great　white　birds。　　When　they　were　above　the
tops　of　the　trees　that　edged　the　lake；　the　birds　halted　and　hovered
uncertainly；　their　wings　lifting　and　falling；　their　bodies　slanting
and　sweeping　slowly；　in　short　circles。

The　suddenness　of　their　approach；　their　presence　so　far　inland；
something　unfamiliar　and　foreign　in　the　way　they　had　winged　their
progress；　for　a　moment　held　the　group　upon　the　terrace　silent。

〃They　are　gulls　from　the　Sound；〃　said　Lowell。

〃They　are　too　large　for　gulls；〃　returned　Mortimer。　　〃They　might　be
wild　geese；　but；〃　he　answered　himself；　in　a　puzzled　voice；　〃it　is
too　late；　and　wild　geese　follow　a　leader。〃

As　though　they　feared　the　birds　might　hear　them　and　take　alarm；　the
men；　unconsciously；　had　spoken　in　low　tones。

〃They　move　as　though　they　were　very　tired；〃　whispered　Elsie
Mortimer。

〃I　think；〃　said　Ainsley；　〃they　have　lost　their　way。〃

But　even　as　he　spoke；　the　birds；　as　though　they　had　reached　their
goal；　spread　their　wings　to　the　full　length　and　sank　to　the　shallow
water　at　the　farthest　margin　of　the　lake。

As　they　fell　the　sun　struck　full　upon　them；　turning　their　great
pinions　into　flashing　white　and　silver。

〃Oh！〃　cried　the　girl；　〃but　they　are　beautiful！〃

Between　the　house　and　the　lake　there　was　a　ridge　of　rock　higher
than　the　head　of　a　man；　and　to　this　Ainsley　and　his　guests　ran　for
cover。　　On　hands　and　knees；　like　hunters　stalking　game；　they
scrambled　up　the　face　of　the　rock　and　peered　cautiously　into　the
pond。　　Below　them；　less　than　one　hundred　yards　away；　on　a　tiny
promontory；　the　six　white　birds　stood　motionless。　　They　showed　no
sign　of　fear。　　They　could　not　but　know　that　beyond　the　lonely
circle　of　the　pond　were　the　haunts　of　men。　　From　the　farm　came　the
tinkle　of　a　cow…bell；　the　bark　of　a　dog；　and　in　the　valley；　six
miles　distant；　rose　faintly　upon　the　stillness　of　the　sunset　hour
the　rumble　of　a　passing　train。　　But　if　these　sounds　carried；　the
birds　gave　no　heed。　　In　each　drooping　head　and　dragging　wing；　in
the　forward　stoop　of　each　white　body；　weighing　heavily　on　the　slim；
black　legs；　was　writt