It would certainly be unpleasant to tell her that her hopes
were frustrated, when she had seemed so confident. At this thought, he
felt the awakening of a sense of protectorship; she had trusted in him;
he ought to do something for her, if for nothing else, to show that he
was not dependent upon those ostrogoths. But what could be done for
such a girl, so pretty, so uncultivated, so vulgarly fantastic? Above
all, what could be done for her by a young and unmarried man?
Providence and society have made it very hard for single men to show
kindness to single women in any way but one.
At his door he found Sam Sleeny with a kit of tools; he had just rung
the bell. He turned, as Farnham mounted the steps, and said:
"I come from Matchin's--something about the greenhouse."
"Yes," answered Farnham. "The gardener is over yonder at the corner of
the lawn. He will tell you what is to be done."
Sam walked away in the direction indicated, and Farnham went into the
house. Some letters were lying on the table in the library. He had just
begun to read them when Budsey entered and announced:
"That young person.
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