The　tender　unspoken　sympathy　of　women　who　loved　her　proved　comforting　in　that　trying　hour。　With　the　confession　ruthlessly　made　the　hard　compression　in　Carley's　breast　subsided；　and　her　eyes　cleared　of　a　hateful　dimness。　When　they　reached　the　taxi　stand　outside　the　station　Carley　felt　a　rush　of　hot　devitalized　air　from　the　street。　She　seemed　not　to　be　able　to　get　air　into　her　lungs。
  〃Isn't　it　dreadfully　hot？〃　she　asked。
  〃This　is　a　cool　spell　to　what　we　had　last　week；〃　replied　Eleanor。
  〃Cool！〃　exclaimed　Carley；　as　she　wiped　her　moist　face。　〃I　wonder　if　you　Easterners　know　the　real　significance　of　words。〃
  Then　they　entered　a　taxi；　to　be　whisked　away　apparently　through　a　labyrinthine　maze　of　cars　and　streets；　where　pedestrians　had　to　run　and　jump　for　their　lives。　A　congestion　of　traffic　at　Fifth　Avenue　and　Forty…second　Street　halted　their　taxi　for　a　few　moments；　and　here　in　the　thick　of　it　Carley　had　full　assurance　that　she　was　back　in　the　metropolis。　Her　sore　heart　eased　somewhat　at　sight　of　the　streams　of　people　passing　to　and　fro。　How　they　rushed！　Where　were　they　going？　What　was　their　story？　And　all　the　while　her　aunt　held　her　hand；　and　Beatrice　and　Eleanor　talked　as　fast　as　their　tongues　could　wag。　Then　the　taxi　clattered　on　up　the　Avenue；　to　turn　down　a　side　street　and　presently　stop　at　Carley's　home。　It　was　a　modest　three…story　brown…stone　house。　Carley　had　been　so　benumbed　by　sensations　that　she　did　not　imagine　she　could　experience　a　new　one。　But　peering　out　of　the　taxi；　she　gazed　dubiously　at　the　brownish…red　stone　steps　and　front　of　her　home。
  〃I'm　going　to　have　it　painted；〃　she　muttered；　as　if　to　herself。
  Her　aunt　and　her　friends　laughed；　glad　and　relieved　to　hear　such　a　practical　remark　from　Carley。　How　were　they　to　divine　that　this　brownish…red　stone　was　the　color　of　desert　rocks　and　canyon　walls？
  In　a　few　more　moments　Carley　was　inside　the　house；　feeling　a　sense　of　protection　in　the　familiar　rooms　that　had　been　her　home　for　seventeen　years。　Once　in　the　sanctity　of　her　room；　which　was　exactly　as　she　had　left　it；　her　first　action　was　to　look　n　the　mirror　at　her　weary；　dusty；　heated　face。　Neither　the　brownness　of　it　nor　the　shadow　appeared　to　harmonize　with　the　image　of　her　that　haunted　the　mirror。
  〃Now！〃　she　whispered　low。　〃It's　done。　I'm　home。　The　old　lifeor　a　new　life？　How　to　meet　either。　Now！〃
  Thus　she　challenged　her　spirit。　And　her　intelligence　rang　at　her　the　imperative　necessity　for　action；　for　excitement；　for　effort　that　left　no　time　for　rest　or　memory　or　wakefulness。　She　accepted　the　issue。　She　was　glad　of　the　stern　fight　ahead　of　her。　She　set　her　will　and　steeled　her　heart　with　all　the　pride　and　vanity　and　fury　of　a　woman　who　had　been　defeated　but　Who　scorned　defeat。　She　was　what　birth　and　breeding　and　circumstance　had　made　her。　She　would　seek　what　the　old　life　held。
  What　with　unpacking　and　chatting　and　telephoning　and　lunching；　the　day　soon　passed。　Carley　went　to　dinner　with　friends　and　later　to　a　roof　garden。　The　color　and　light；　the　gayety　and　music；　the　news　of　acquaintances；　the　humor　of　the　actorsall；　in　fact；　except　the　unaccustomed　heat　and　noise；　were　most　welcome　and　diverting。　That　night　she　slept　the　sleep　of　weariness。
  Awakening　early；　she　inaugurated　a　habit　of　getting　up　at　once；　instead　of　lolling　in　bed；　and　breakfasting　there；　and　reading　her　mail；　as　had　been　her　wont　before　going　West。　Then　she　went　over　business　matters　with　her　aunt；　called　on　her　lawyer　and　banker；　took　lunch　with　Rose　Maynard；　and　spent　the　afternoon　shopping。　Strong　as　she　was；　the　unaccustomed　heat　and　the　hard　pavements　and　the　jostle　of　shoppers　and　the　continual　rush　of　sensations　wore　her　out　so　completely　that　she　did　not　want　any　dinner。　She　talked　to　her　aunt　a　while；　then　went　to　bed。
  Next　day　Carley　motored　through　Central　Park；　and　out　of　town　into　Westchester　County；　finding　some　relief　from　the　seemed　to　look　at　the　dusty　trees　and　the　worn　greens　without　really　seeing　them。　In　the　afternoon　she　called　on　friends；　and　had　dinner　at　home　with　her　aunt；　and　then　went　to　a　theatre。　The　musical　comedy　was　good；　but　the　almost　unbearable　heat　and　the　vitiated　air　spoiled　her　enjoyment。　That　night　upon　arriving　home　at　midnight　she　stepped　out　of　the　taxi；　and　involuntarily；　without　thought；　looked　up　to　see　the　stars。　But　there　were　no　stars。　A　murky　yellow…tinged　blackness　hung　low　over　the　city。　Carley　recollected　that　stars；　and　sunrises　and　sunsets；　and　untainted　air；　and　silence　were　not　for　city　dwellers。　She　checked　any　continuation　of　the　thought。
  A　few　days　sufficed　to　swing　her　into　the　old　life。　Many　of　Carley's　friends　had　neither　the　leisure　nor　the　means　to　go　away　from　the　city　during　the　summer。　Some　there　were　who　might　have　afforded　that　if　they　had　seen　fit　to　live　in　less　showy　apartments；　or　to　dispense　with　cars。　Other　of　her　best　friends　were　on　their　summer　outings　in　the　Adirondacks。　Carley　decided　to　go　with　her　aunt　to　Lake　Placid　about　the　first　of　August。　Meanwhile　she　would　keep　going　and　doing。
  She　had　been　a　week　in　town　before　Morrison　telephoned　her　and　added　his　welcome。　Despite　the　gay　gladness　of　his　voice；　it　irritated　her。　Really；　she　scarcely　wanted　to　see　him。　But　a　meeting　was　inevitable；　and　besides；　going　out　with　him　was　in　accordance　with　the　plan　she　had　adopted。　So　she　made　an　engagement　to　meet　him　at　the　Plaza　for　dinner。　When　with　slow　and　pondering　action　she　hung　up　the　receiver　it　occurred　to　her　that　she　resented　the　idea　of　going　to　the　Plaza。　She　did　not　dwell　on　the　reason　why。
  When　Carley　went　into　the　reception　room　of　the　Plaza　that　night　Morrison　was　waiting　for　herthe　same　slim；　fastidious；　elegant；　sallow…faced　Morrison　whose　image　she　had　in　mind；　yet　somehow　different。　He　had　what　Carley　called　the　New　York　masculine　face；　blase　and　lined；　with　eyes　that　gleamed；　yet　had　no　fire。　But　at　sight　of　her　his　face　lighted　up。
  〃By　Jove　I　but　you've　come　back　a　peach！〃　he　exclaimed；　clasping　her　extended　hand。　〃Eleanor　told　me　you　looked　great。　It's　worth　missing　you　to　see　you　like　this。〃
  〃Thanks；　Larry；〃　she　replied。　〃I　must　look　pretty　well　to　win　that　compliment　from　you。　And　how　are　you　feeling？　You　don't　seem　robust　for　a　golfer　and　horseman。　But　then　I'm　used　to　husky　Westerners。〃
  〃Oh；　I'm　fagged　with　the　daily　grind；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　be　glad　to　get　up　in　the　mountains　next　month。　Let's　go　down　to　dinner。〃
  They　descended　the　spiral　stairway　to　the　grillroom；　where　an　orchestra　was　playing　jazz；　and　dancers　gyrated　on　a　polished　floor；　and　diners　in　evening　dress　looked　on　over　their　cigarettes。
  〃Well；　Carley；　are　you　still　finicky　about　the　eats？〃　he　queried；　consulting　the　menu。
  〃No。　But　I　prefer　plain　food；〃　she　replied。
  〃Have　a　cigarette；〃　he　said；　holding　out　his　silver　monogrammed　case。
  〃Thanks；　Larry。　II　guess　I'll　not　take　up　smoking　again。　You　see；　while　I　was　West　I　got　out　of　the　habit。〃
  〃Yes；　they　told　me　you　had　changed；〃　he　returned。　〃How　about　drinking？〃
  〃Why；　I　thought　New　York　had　gone　dry！〃　she　said；　forcing　a　laugh。
  〃Only　on　the　surface。　Underneath　it's　wetter　than　ever。〃
  〃Well；　I'll　obey　the　law。〃
  He　ordered　a　rather　elaborate　dinner；　and　then　turning　his　attention　to　Carley；　gave　her　closer　scrutiny。　Carley　knew　then　that　he　had　become　acquainted　with　the　fact　of　her　broken　engagement。　It　was　a　relief　not　to　need　to　tell　him。
  〃How's　that　big　stiff；　Kilbourne？〃　asked　Morrison；　suddenly。　〃Is　it　true　he　got　well？〃
  〃Ohyes！　He's　fine；〃　replied　Carley　with　eyes　cast　down。　A　hot　knot　seemed　to　form　deep　within　her　and　threatened　to　break　and　steal　along　her　veins。　〃But　if　you　pleaseI　do　not　care　to　talk　of　him。〃
  〃Naturally。　But　I　must　tell　you　that　one　man's　loss　is　another's　gain。〃
  Carley　had　rather　expected　renewed　courtship　from　Morrison。　She　had　not；　however；　been　prepared　for　the　beat　of　her　pulse；　the　quiver　of　her　nerves；　the　uprising　of　hot　resentment　at　the　mere　mention　of　Kilbourne。　It　was　only　natural　that　Glenn's　former　rivals　should　speak　of　him；　and　perhaps　disparagingly。　But　from　this　man　Carley　could　not　bear　even　a　casual　reference。　Morrison　had　escaped　the　army　service。　He　had　been　given　a　high…salaried　post　at　the　ship…yardsthe　duties　of　which；　if　there　had　been　any；　he　performed　wherever　he　happened　to　be。　Morrison's　father　had　made　a　fortune　in　leather　during　the　war。　And　Carley　remembered　Glenn　telling　her　he　had　seen　two　whole　blocks　in　Paris　piled　twenty　feet　deep　with　leather　army　goods　that　were　never　used　and　probably　had　never　been　intended　to　be　used。　Morrison　represented　the　not　inconsiderable　number　of　young　men　in　New　York　who　had　gained　at　the　expense　of　the　valiant　legion　who　had　lost。　But　what　had　Morrison　gained？　Carley　raised　her　eyes　to　gaze　steadily　at　him。　He　looked　well…fed；　indolent；　rich；　effete；　and　supremely　self…satisfied。　She　could　not　we　that　he　had　gained　anything。　She　would　rather　have　been　a　crippled　ruined　soldier。
  〃Larry；　I　fear　gain　and　loss　are　mere　words；　she　said。　〃The　thing　that　counts　with　me　is　what　you　are。〃
  He　stared　in　well…bred　surprise；　and　presently　talked　of　a　new　dance　which　had　lately　come　into　vogue。　And　from　that　he　passed　on　to　gossip　of　the　theatres。　Once　between　courses　of　t