nd prospective successors of the 〃bulwarks of religion and morality。〃 The Episcopalian and Methodist ministers preached against Dumont； that 〃importer of Satan's ways into our peaceful midst；〃 and against Charley Braddock with his 〃ante…room to Sheol〃the Reverend Sweetser had just learned the distinction between Sheol and Hades。 The Presbyterian preacher wrestled spiritually with Will Cauldwell and so wrought upon his depression that he gave out a solemn statement of confession； remorse and reform。 In painting himself in dark colors he painted Jack Dumont jet black。
Pauline had known that Dumont was 〃lively〃he was far too proud of his wild oats wholly to conceal them from her。 And she had all the tolerance and fascinated admiration of feminine youth for the friskiness of masculine freedom。 Thus； though she did not precisely approve what he and his friends had done； she took no such serious view of it as did her parents and his。 The most she could do with her father was to persuade him to suspend sentence pending the conclusion of an investigation into Jack's doings at the University of Michigan and in Detroit。 Colonel Gardiner was not so narrow or so severe as Jack said or as Pauline thought。 He loved his daughter； so he inquired thoroughly。 He knew that his daughter loved Dumont； so he judged liberally。 When he had done he ordered the engagement broken and forbade Dumont the house。
〃He is not wild merely； he isworse than you can imagine；〃 said the colonel to his wife； in concluding his account of his discoveries and of Dumont's evasive and reluctant admissionsan account so carefully expurgated that it completely misled her。 〃Tell Pauline as much as you canenough to convince her。〃
This； when Mrs。 Gardiner was not herself convinced。 She regarded the colonel as too high…minded to be a fit judge of human frailty； and his over…caution in explanation had given her the feeling that he had a standard for a husband for their daughter which only another such rare man as himself could live up to。 Further； she had always been extremely reserved in mother…and…daughter talk with Pauline； and thus could not now give her a clear idea of what little she had been able to gather from Colonel Gardiner's half…truths。 This typical enacting of a familiar domestic comedy…tragedy had the usual result： the girl was confirmed in her original opinion and stand。
〃Jack's been a little too lively；〃 was her unexpressed conclusion from her mother's dilution of her father's dilution of the ugly truth。 〃He's sorry and won't do it again； andwell； I'd hate a milksop。 Father has forgotten that he was young himself once。〃
Dumont's father and mother charged against Ann Arbor that which they might have charged against their own alternations of tyranny and license； had they not been humanly lenient in self…excuse。 〃No more college！〃 said his father。
〃The place for you； young man； is my office； where I can keep an eye or two on you。〃
〃That suits me；〃 replied the son； indifferentlyhe made small pretense of repentance at home。
〃I never wanted to go to college。〃
〃Yes； it was your mother's doing；〃 said old Dumont。 〃Now we'll try MY way of educating a boy。〃
So Jack entered the service of his father's god…of…the…six…days； and immediately showed astonishing talent and twelve…to…fourteen…hour assiduity。 He did not try to talk with Pauline。 He went nowhere but to business； he avoided the young men。
〃It's a bad idea to let your home town know too much about you；〃 he reflected； and he resolved that his future gambols out of bounds should be in the security of distant and large citiesand they were。 Seven months after he went to work he amazed and delighted his father by informing him that he had bought five hundred shares of stock in the millshe had made the money； fifty…odd thousand dollars； by a speculation in wool。 He was completely reestablished with his father and with all Saint X except Colonel Gardiner。
〃That young Jack Dumont's a wonder；〃 said everybody。 〃He'll make the biggest kind of a fortune or the biggest kind of a smash before he gets through。〃
He felt that he was fully entitled to the rights of the regenerate； he went to Colonel Gardiner's law office boldly to claim them。
At sight of him the colonel's face hardened into an expression as near to hate as its habit of kindliness would concede。 〃Well； sir！〃 said he； sharply； eying the young man over the tops of his glasses。
Dumont stiffened his strong； rather stocky figure and said； his face a study of youthful frankness： 〃You know what I've come for； sir。 I want you to give me a trial。〃
〃No！〃 Colonel Gardiner shut his lips firmly。
〃Good morning； sir！〃 And he was writing again。
〃You are very hard；〃 said Dumont； bitterly。
〃You are driving me to ruin。〃
〃How DARE you！〃 The old man rose and went up to him； eyes blazing scorn。 〃You deceive others； but not me with my daughter's welfare as my first duty。 It is an insult to her that you presume to lift your eyes to her。〃
Dumont colored and haughtily raised his head。 He met the colonel's fiery gaze without flinching。
〃I was no worse than other young men〃
〃It's a slander upon young men for you to say that theythat any of them with a spark of decencywould do as you have done； as you DO！ Leave my office at once； sir！〃
〃I've not only repentedI've shown that I was ashamed ofof that；〃 said Dumont。 〃Yet you refuse me a chance！〃
The colonel was shaking with anger。
〃You left here for New York last Thursday night；〃 he said。 〃Where and how did you spend Saturday night and Sunday and Monday？〃
Dumont's eyes shifted and sank。
〃It's false；〃 he muttered。 〃It's lies。〃
〃I expected this call from you；〃 continued Colonel Gardiner； 〃and I prepared for it so that I could do what was right。 I'd rather see my daughter in her shroud than in a wedding…dress for you。〃
Dumont left without speaking or looking up。
〃The old fox！〃 he said to himself。 〃Spying on mewhat an idiot I was not to look out for that。 The narrow old fool！ He doesn't know what ‘man of the world' means。 But I'll marry her in spite of him。 I'll let nobody cheat me out of what I want； what belongs to me。〃
A few nights afterward he went to a dance at Braddock's； hunted out Pauline and seated himself beside her。 In a year he had not been so near her； though they had seen each other every few days and he had written her many letters which she had read； had treasured； but had been held from answering by her sense of honor； unless her looks whenever their eyes met could be called answers。
〃You mustn't； Jack；〃 she said； her breath coming fast； her eyes fever…bright。 〃Father has forbidden meand it'll only make him the harder。〃
〃You； too； Polly？ Well； then； I don't care what becomes of me。〃
He looked so desperate that she was frightened。
〃It isn't that； Jackyou KNOW it isn't that。〃
〃I've been to see your father。 And he told me he'd never consentnever！ I don't deserve thatand I can't stand it to lose you。 No matter what I've done； God knows I love you； Polly。〃
Pauline's face was pale。 Her hands； in her lap； were gripping her little handkerchief。
〃You don't say that； tooyou don't say ‘never'？〃
She raised her eyes to his and their look thrilled through and through him。 〃Yes； John； I say ‘never'I'll NEVER give you up。〃
All the decent instincts in his nature showed in his handsome face； in which time had not as yet had the chance clearly to write character。 〃No wonder I love youthere never was anybody so brave and so true as you。 But you must help me。 I must see you and talk to youonce in a while； anyhow。〃
Pauline flushed painfully。
〃Not tilltheylet meor I'm older； John。 They've always trusted me and left me free。 And I can't deceive them。〃
He liked thisit was another proof that she was； through and through； the sort of woman who was worthy to be his wife。
〃Wellwe'll wait；〃 he said。 〃And if they won't be fair to us； why； we'll have a right to do the best we can。〃 He gave her a tragic look。
〃I've set my heart on you； Polly； and I never can stand it not to get what I've set my heart on。 If I lost you； I'd go straight to ruin。〃
She might have been a great deal older and wiser and still not have seen in this a confirmation of her father's judgment of her lover。 And her parents had unconsciously driven her into a mental state in which； if he had committed a crime； it would have seemed to her their fault rather than his。 The next day she opened the subject with her motherthe subject that was never out of their minds。
〃I can't forget him； mother。 I CAN'T give him up。〃 With the splendid confidence of youth； 〃I can save himhe'll do anything for my sake。〃 With the touching ignorance of youth； 〃He's done nothing so very dreadful； I'm sureI'd believe him against the whole world。〃
And in the evening her mother approached her father。 She was in sympathy with Pauline； though her loyalty to her husband made her careful not to show it。 She had small confidence in a man's judgments of men on their woman…side； great confidence in the power of women to change and uplift men。
〃Father；〃 said she； when they were alone on the side porch after supper； 〃have you noticed how hard