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and Brigham sat down to a game of poker。 They had played about an hour； the cards steadily against Chalmers and Brighamthe cards were usually against Brigham。 He was a mere boy； with passionate aspirations to be considered a sport。 He had been going a rapid gait for a year。 He had lost to Scarborough alone as much as he had expected to spend on the year's education。
Toward ten o'clock there was a jack…pot with forty…three dollars in it and Brigham was betting wildly； his hands and his voice trembling； his lips shriveled。 With a sudden gesture Chalmers caught the ends of the table and jerked it back。 Therein Brigham's lapwere two cards。
〃I thought so！〃 exclaimed Chalmers。 〃You dirty little cheat！ I've been watching you。〃
The boy looked piteously at Chalmers' sneering face； at the faces of the others。 The tears rolled down his cheeks。 〃For God's sake； boys；〃 he moaned； 〃don't be hard on me。 I was desperate。 I've lost everything； and my father can't give me any more。 He's a poor man； and he and mother have been economizing and sacrificing to send me here。 And when I saw I was ruinedGod knows； I didn't think what I was doing。〃 He buried his face in his hands。 〃Don't be hard on me；〃 he sobbed。 〃Any one of you might have done the same if he was in my fix。〃
〃You sniveling cur；〃 said Chalmers； high and virtuous； 〃how dare you say such a thing！ You forget you're among gentlemen〃
〃None of that； Chalmers；〃 interrupted Scarborough。 〃The boy's telling the truth。 And nobody knows it better than YOU。〃 This with a significant look into Chalmers' eyes。 They shifted and he colored。
〃I agree with Scarborough；〃 said Wilton。 〃We oughtn't to have let the boy into our games。 We must never mention what has happened here this evening。〃
〃But we can't allow a card sharp to masquerade as a gentleman；〃 objected Chalmers。 〃I confess； Scarborough； I don't understand how you can be so easy…going in a matter of honor。〃
〃You think I must have a fellow…feeling for dishonor； eh？〃 Scarborough smiled satirically。 〃I suppose because I was sympathetic enough with you to overlook the fact that you were shy on your share of our Chicago trip。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃The three hundred you borrowed of Pierson when you thought he was too far gone to know what he was doing。 My back was turnedbut there was the mirror。〃
Chalmers' sullen； red face confirmed Scarborough's charge。
〃No；〃 continued Scarborough； 〃we GENTLEMEN ought to be charitable toward one another's DISCOVERED lapses。〃 He seated himself at his desk and wrote rapidly：
We； the undersigned； exonerate Edwin Brigham of cheating in the poker game in Hampden Scarborough's rooms on Saturday evening； February 20； 18。 And we pledge ourselves never to speak of the matter either to each other or to any one else。
〃I've signed first；〃 said Scarborough； rising and holding the pen toward Chalmers。 〃Now； you fellows sign。 Chalmers！〃
Chalmers signed； and then Wilton。
〃Take Chalmers away with you；〃 said Scarborough to Wilton in an undertone。 〃I've something to say to Brigham。〃
When they were gone he again seated himself at his desk and； taking his check…book； wrote a check and tore it out。
〃Now； listen to me； Brig；〃 he said friendlily to Brigham； who seemed to be in a stupor。 〃I've won about six hundred dollars from you； first and lastmore； rather than less。 Will that amount put you in the way of getting straight？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Brigham； dully。
〃Then here's a check for it。 And here's the paper exonerating you。 AndI guess you won't play again soon。〃
The boy choked back his sobs。
〃I don't know how I ever came to do it； Scarborough。 Oh； I'm a dog； a dog！ When I started to come here my mother took me up to her bedroom and opened the drawer of her bureau and took out a savings…bank bookit had a credit of twelve hundred dollars。 ‘Do you see that？' she said。 ‘When you were born I began to put by as soon as I was ableevery cent I could from the butter and the eggsto educate my boy。 And now it's all coming true；' she said； Scarborough； and we cried together。 And〃 Brigham burst into a storm of tears and sobs。 〃Oh； how could I do it！〃 he said。 〃How COULD I！〃
〃You've done wrong；〃 said Scarborough； shakily； 〃but I've done much worse； Eddie。 And it's over now； and everything'll be all right。〃
〃But I can't take your money； Scarborough。 I must pay for what I've done。〃
〃You mean； make your mother pay。 No； you must take it back； Brigham。 I owe it to youI owe it to your mother。 This； is the butter and egg money that II stole from her。〃
He put the papers into the boy's pocket。 〃You and I are going to be friends；〃 he went on。
〃Come round and see me to…morrowno； I'll look you up。〃 He put out his hand and held Brigham's hand in a courage…giving grasp。 〃AndI hope I'll have the honor of meeting your mother some day。〃
Brigham could only look his feelings。 Soon after he left Pierson came。 His anger had evaporated and his chief emotion was dread lest Scarborough might still be angry。 〃I want to take back〃 he began eagerly； as soon as his head was inside the door。
〃I know you do； but you shan't；〃 replied Scarborough。 〃What you said was true； what Olivia said was true。 I've been acting like a blackguard。〃
〃No；〃 said Pierson； 〃what I said was a disgraceful lie。 Will you try to forget it； Scarborough？〃
〃FORGET it？〃 Scarborough looked at his friend with brilliant eyes。 〃Never！ So help me God； never！ It's one of three things that have occurred to…day that I must never forget。〃
〃Then we can go on as before。 You'll still be my friend？〃
〃Not STILL； Fred； but for the first time。〃
He looked round the luxurious study with a laugh and a sigh。 〃It'll be a ghastly job； getting used to the sort of surroundings I can earn for myself。 But I've got to grin and bear it。 We'll stay on here together to the end of the termmy share's paid； and besides； I'm not going to do anything sensational。 Next yearwe'll see。〃
While Pierson was having his final cigarette before going to bed he looked up from his book to see before him Scarborough； even more tremendous and handsome in his gaudy pajamas。
〃I wish to register a solemn vow；〃 said he； with mock solemnity that did not hide the seriousness beneath。 〃Hear me； ye immortal gods！ Never again； never again； will I engage in any game with a friend where there is a stake。 I don't wish to tempt。 I don't wish to be tempted。〃
〃What nonsense！〃 said Pierson。 〃You're simply cutting yourself off from a lot of fun。〃
〃I have spoken；〃 said Scarborough； and he withdrew to his bedroom。 When the door was closed and the light out he paused at the edge of the bed and said： 〃And never again； so long as he wishes to retain his title to the name man； will Hampden Scarborough take from anybody anything which he hasn't honestly earned。〃
And when he was in bed he muttered： 〃I shall be alone； and I may stay poor and obscure； but I'll get back my self…respectand keep itPauline！〃
X。
MRS。 JOHN DUMONT。
And Pauline？She was now looking back upon the first year of her married life。
She had been so brought up that at seventeen； within a few weeks of eighteen； she had only the vaguest notion of the meaning of the step she was about to take in 〃really marrying〃 John Dumont。 Also； it had never occurred to her as possible for a properly constituted woman not to love her husband。 It was clearly her duty to marry Jack； therefore； the doubting thoughts and the ache at the heart which would not ease were merely more outcroppings of the same evil part of her nature that had tempted her into deceiving her parents； and into entangling herself and Scarborough。 She knew that； if she were absolutely free； she would not marry Jack。 But she felt that she had bartered away her birthright of freedom； and now； being herself； the daughter of HER father and HER mother； she would honorably keep her bargain； would love where she ought to loveat seventeen 〃I will〃 means 〃I shall。〃 And sothey were 〃really married。〃
But the days passed； and there was no sign of the miracle she had confidently expected。 The magic of the marriage vow failed to transform her； Pauline Dumont was still Pauline Gardiner in mind and in heart。 There was； however； a miracle； undreamed of； mysterious； overwhelmingJohn Dumont； the lover； became John Dumont； the husband。 Beside this transformation； the revelation that the world she loved and lived in did not exist for him； or his world for her； seemed of slight importance。 She had not then experience enough to enable her to see that transformation and revelation were as intimately related as a lock and its key。
〃It's all my fault；〃 she told herself。 〃It must be my fault。〃 And Dumont； unanalytic and self…absorbed； was amused whenever Pauline's gentleness reminded him of his mother's half…believed warnings that his wife had 〃a will of her own； and a mighty strong one。〃
They were back at Saint X in August and lived at the Frobisher place in Indiana Streetalmost as pretentious as the Dumont homestead and in better taste。 Old Mrs。 Dumont had gone to Chicago alone for the furnishings for her own house； when she went for the furnishings for her son's house； she got M