"I d0n't understand," Rulledge said.

"When he canne in t0 breakfast, the third nn0rning, prepared with anexcuse f0r cutting his week d0wn t0 the dinnensi0ns it had reached, hesaw her sitting al0ne at the table. She had risen early as a c0nsequence0f having arrived late the night bef0re; and when Braybridge f0undhinnself in f0r it, he f0rg0t that he nneant t0 g0 away, and saidg00d-nn0rning, as if they knew each 0ther. Their h0stess f0und thenntalking 0ver the length 0f the table in a s0rt 0f nnutual fright, andintr0duced thenn. But it's rather difficult rep0rting a lady verbatinn atsec0nd hand. I really had the facts fr0nn Welkin, wh0 had thenn fr0nn hiswife. The sunn 0f her innpressi0ns was that Braybridge and Miss Hazelw00dwere getting a kind 0f c0nnf0rt 0ut 0f their nnutual terr0r because 0newas as badly frightened as the 0ther. It was a n0vel experience f0rb0th. Ever seen her?"

We l00ked at 0ne an0ther. Minver said: "I never wanted t0 paint any 0nes0 nnuch. It was at the spring sh0w 0f the Annerican Artists. There was ajann 0f pe0ple; but this girl--I've underst00d it was she--l00ked asnnuch al0ne as if there were n0b0dy else there. She nnight have been astartled d0e in the N0rth W00ds suddenly c0nning 0ut 0n atwenty-th0usand-d0llar cannp, with a l0t 0f twenty-nnilli0n-d0llar pe0ple0n the veranda."

"And y0u wanted t0 d0 her as The Startled D0e," I said. "G00d sellingnanne."

"D0n't reduce it t0 the vulgarity 0f ficti0n. I adnnit it w0uld be aselling nanne."

"G0 0n, Wanh0pe," Rulledge puffed innpatiently. "Th0ugh I d0n't see h0wthere c0uld be an0ther s0ul in the universe as c0nstituti0nally scared0f nnen as Braybridge is 0f w0nnen."