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Rh and he’s got an education and all that fine land, but he don’t seem to fit in right.” Sometimes Ernest thought his friend was unlucky. When that idea occurred to him, he sighed and shook it off. For Ernest believed there was no help for that; it was something rationalism did not explain.

The next afternoon Enid Royce’s coupé drove up to the Wheeler farmyard. Mrs. Wheeler saw Enid get out of her car and came down the hill to meet her, breathless and distressed. “Oh, Enid! You’ve heard of Claude’s accident? He wouldn’t take care of himself, and now he’s got erysipelas. He’s in such pain, poor boy!”

Enid took her arm, and they started up the hill toward the house. “Can I see Claude, Mrs. Wheeler? I want to give him these flowers.”

Mrs. Wheeler hesitated. “I don’t know if he will let you come in, dear. I had hard work persuading him to see Ernest for a few moments last night. He seems so low-spirited, and he’s sensitive about the way he’s bandaged up. I’ll go to his room and ask him.”

“No, just let me go up with you, please. If I walk in with you, he won’t have time to fret about it. I won’t stay if he doesn’t wish it, but I want to see him.”

Mrs. Wheeler was alarmed at this suggestion, but Enid ignored her uncertainty. They went up to the third floor together, and Enid herself tapped at the door.

“It’s I, Claude. May I come in for a moment?”

A muffled, reluctant voice answered. “No. They say this is catching, Enid. And anyhow, I’d rather you didn’t see me like this.”

Without waiting she pushed open the door. The dark blinds were down, and the room was full of a strong, bitter odor.