She doesn't care a rap for me, and I should have
recognized the truth long ago. I'll go back to the hotel and act
toward her precisely as she has acted toward me. I can then at
least take back to town a little shred of dignity."
He appeared not to see her when she came down to breakfast. After
the meal was over he sat on the piazza engrossed in the morning
paper. An excursion party for the mountains was forming. He merely
bowed politely as she passed him to join it, but he ground his
teeth as he saw Merriweather and Hackley escorting her away. When
they were out of sight he tossed the paper aside and went down to
the river, purposing to row the fever out of his blood. He was
already satisfied how difficult his tactics would be should he
continue to see her, and he determined to be absent all day, to so
tire himself out that exhaustion would bring early sleep on his
return.
Weary and leaden-spirited enough he was, as late in the afternoon
he made his way back, but firm in sudden resolve to depart on an
early train in the morning and never voluntarily to see the
obdurate lady of his affections again.
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