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he Miss Kennedy and her aunt that you  liked so well。〃

〃I never liked Miss Kennedy's aunt;〃 I said。

〃I didn't say you did;〃 said North。  〃We are having the greatest time  we've ever had。  The pickerel and trout are so ravenous that I believe  they would swallow your hook with a Montana copper…mine prospectus  fastened on it。  And we've a couple of electric launches; and I'll  tell you what we do every night or twowe tow a rowboat behind each  one with a big phonograph and a boy to change the discs in 'em。  On  the water; and twenty yards behind you; they are not so bad。  And  there are passably good roads through the woods where we go motoring。   I shipped two cars up there。  And the Pinecliff Inn is only three  miles away。  You know the Pinecliff。  Some good people are there this  season; and we run over to the dances twice a week。  Can't you go back  with me for a week; old man?〃

I laughed。  〃Northy;〃 said I〃if I may be so familiar with a  millionaire; because I hate both the names Spencer and Grenvilleyour  invitation is meant kindly; butthe city in the summer…time for me。   Here; while the bourgeoisie is away; I can live as Nero lived…barring;  thank heaven; the fiddling…while the city burns at ninety in the  shade。  The tropics and the zones wait upon me like handmaidens。  I  sit under Florida palms and eat pomegranates while Boreas himself;  electrically conjured up; blows upon me his Arctic breath。  As for  trout; you know; yourself; that Jean; at Maurice's; cooks them better  than any one else in the world。〃

〃Be advised;〃 said North。  〃My chef has pinched the blue ribbon from  the lot。  He lays some slices of bacon inside the trout; wraps it all  in corn…husksthe husks of green corn; you knowburies them in hot  ashes and covers them with live coals。  We build fires on the bank of  the lake and have fish suppers。〃

〃I know;〃 said I。  〃And the servants bring down tables and chairs and  damask cloths; and you eat with silver forks。  I know the kind of  camps that you millionaires have。  And therc are champagne pails set  about; disgracing the wild flowers; and; no doubt; Madame Tetrazzini  to sing in the boat pavilion after the trout。〃

〃Oh no;〃 said North; concernedly; 〃we were never as bad as that。  We  did have a variety troupe up from the city three or four nights; but  they weren't stars by as far as light can travel in the same length of  time。  I always like a few home comforts even when I'm roughing it。   But don't tell me you prefer to stay in the city during summer。  I  don't believe it。  If you do; why did you spend your summers there for  the last four years; even sneaking away from town on a night train;  and refusing to tell your friends where this Arcadian village was?〃

〃Because;〃 said I; 〃they might have followed me and discovered it。   But since then I have learned that Amaryllis has come to town。  The  coolest things; the freshest; the brightest; the choicest; are to be  found in the city。  If you've nothing on hand this evening I will show  you。〃

〃I'm free;〃 said North; 〃and I have my light car outside。  I suppose;  since you've been converted to the town; that your idea of rural sport  is to have a little whirl between bicycle cops in Central Park and  then a mug of sticky ale in some stuffy rathskeller under a fan that  can't stir up as many revolutions in a week as Nicaragua can in a  day。〃

〃We'll begin with the spin through the Park; anyhow;〃 I said。  I was  choking with the hot; stale air of my little apartment; and I wanted  that breath of the cool to brace me for the task of proving to my  friend that New York was the greatestand so forth。

〃Where can you find air any fresher or purer than this?〃 I asked; as  we sped into Central's boskiest dell。

〃Air!〃 said North; contemptuously。  〃Do you call this air?this muggy  vapor; smelling of garbage and gasoline smoke。  Man; I wish you could  get one sniff of the real Adirondack article in the pine woods at  daylight。〃

〃I have heard of it;〃 said I。  〃But for fragrance and tang and a joy  in the nostrils I would not give one puff of sea breeze across the  bay; down on my little boat dock on Long Island; for ten of your  turpentine…scented tornadoes。〃

〃Then why;〃 asked North; a little curiously; 〃don't you go there  instead of staying cooped up in this Greater Bakery?〃

〃Because;〃 said I; doggedly; 〃I have discovered that New York is the  greatest summer〃

〃Don't say that again;〃 interrupted North; 〃unless you've actually got  a job as General Passenger Agent of the Subway。  You can't really  believe it。〃

I went to some trouble to try to prove my theory to my friend。  The  Weather Bureau and the season had conspired to make the argument  worthy of an able advocate。

The city seemed stretched on a broiler directly above the furnaces of  Avernus。  There was a kind of tepid gayety afoot and awheel in the  boulevards; mainly evinced by languid men strolling about in straw  hats and evening clothes; and rows of idle taxicabs with their flags  up; looking like a blockaded Fourth of July procession。  The hotels  kept up a specious brilliancy and hospitable outlook; but inside one  saw vast empty caverns; and the footrails at the bars gleamed brightly  from long disacquaintance with the sole…leather of customers。  In the  cross…town streets the steps of the old brownstone houses were  swarming with 〃stoopers;〃 that motley race hailing from sky…light room  and basement; bringing out their straw doorstep mats to sit and fill  the air with strange noises and opinions。

North and I dined on the top of a hotel; and here; for a few minutes;  I thought I had made a score。  An east wind; almost cool; blew across  the roofless roof。  A capable orchestra concealed in a bower of  wistaria played with sufficient judgment to make the art of music  probable and the art of conversation possible。

Some ladies in reproachless summer gowns at other tables gave  animation and color to the scene。  And an excellent dinner; mainly  from the refrigerator; seemed to successfully back my judgment as to  summer resorts。  But North grumbled all during the meal; and cursed  his lawyers and prated so of his confounded camp in the woods that I  began to wish he would go back there and leave me in my peaceful city  retreat。

After dining we went to a roof…garden vaudeville that was being much  praised。  There we found a good bill; an artificially cooled  atmosphere; cold drinks; prompt service; and a gay; well…dressed  audience。  North was bored。

〃If this isn't comfortable enough for you on the hottest August night  for five years;〃 I said; a little sarcastically; 〃you might think  about the kids down in Delancey and Hester streets lying out on the  fire…escapes with their tongues hanging out; trying to get a breath of  air that hasn't been fried on both sides。  The contrast might increase  your enjoyment。〃

〃Don't talk Socialism;〃 said North。  〃I gave five hundred dollars to  the free ice fund on the first of May。  I'm contrasting these stale;  artificial; hollow; wearisome 'amusements' with the enjoyment a man  can get in the woods。  You should see the firs and pines do skirt… dances during a storm; and lie down flat and drink out of a mountain  branch at the end of a day's tramp after the deer。  That's the only  way to spend a summer。  Get out and live with nature。〃

〃I agree with you absolutely;〃 said I; with emphasis。

For one moment I had relaxed my vigilance; and had spoken my true  sentiments。  North looked at me long and curiously。

〃Then why; in the name of Pan and Apollo;〃 he asked; 〃have you been  singing this deceitful paean to summer in town?〃

I suppose I looked my guilt。

〃Ha;〃 said North; 〃I see。  May I ask her name?〃

〃Annie Ashton;〃 said I; simply。  〃She played Nannette in Binkley &  Bing's production of The Silver Cord。  She is to have a better part  next season。〃

〃Take me to see her;〃 said North。

Miss Ashton lived with her mother in a small hotel。  They were out of  the West; and had a little money that bridged the seasons。  As press… agent of Binkley & Bing I had tried to keep her before the public。  As  Robert James Vandiver I had hoped to withdraw her; for if ever one was  made to keep company with said Vandiver and smell the salt breeze on  the south shore of Long Island and listen to the ducks quack in the  watches of the night; it was the Ashton set forth above。

But she had a soul above ducksabove nightingales; aye; even above  birds of paradise。  She was very beautiful; with quiet ways; and  seemed genuine。  She had both taste and talent for the stage; and she  liked to stay at home and read and make caps for her mother。  She was  unvaryingly kind and friendly with Binkley & Bing's press…agent。   Since the theatre had closed she had allowed Mr。  Vandiver to call in  an unofficial role。  I had often spoken to her of my friend; Spencer  Grenville North; and so; as it was early; the first turn of the  vaudeville being not yet over; we left to find a telephone。

Miss Ashton would be very glad to see Mr。  Vandiver and Mr。  North。

We found her fitting a new cap on her mother。  I never saw her look  more charming。

North made himself disagreeably entertaining。  He was a good talker;  and had a way with 

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