Merkle

　　Merkle; Private Consultations at all hours. LadyAttendants," she read; and suddenly she remembered AllyHawes's words: "The house was at the corner of WingStreet and Lake Avenue...there's a big black signacross the front...." Through all the heat and therapture a shiver of cold ran over her.
Chapter 10
THE Lake at last--a sheet of shining metal brooded overby drooping trees. Charity and Harney had secured aboat and, getting away from the wharves and therefreshment-booths, they drifted idly along, huggingthe shadow of the shore. Where the sun struck thewater its shafts flamed back blindingly at the heat-veiled sky; and the least shade was black by contrast.
　　The Lake was so smooth that the reflection of the treeson its edge seemed enamelled on a solid surface; butgradually, as the sun declined, the water grewtransparent, and Charity, leaning over, plunged herfascinated gaze into depths so clear that she saw theinverted tree-tops interwoven with the green growths ofthe bottom.
　　They rounded a point at the farther end of the Lake,and entering an inlet pushed their bow against aprotruding tree-trunk. A green veil of willowsoverhung them. Beyond the trees, wheat-fields sparkledin the sun; and all along the horizon the clearhills throbbed with light. Charity leaned back in thestern, and Harney unshipped the oars and lay in thebottom of the boat without speaking.
　　Ever since their meeting at the Creston pool he hadbeen subject to these brooding silences, which were asdifferent as possible from the pauses when they ceasedto speak because words were needless. At such timeshis face wore the expression she had seen on it whenshe had looked in at him from the darkness and againthere came over her a sense of the mysterious distancebetween them; but usually his fits of abstraction werefollowed by bursts of gaiety that chased away theshadow before it chilled her.
　　She was still thinking of the ten dollars he had handedto the driver of the run-about. It had given themtwenty minutes of pleasure, and it seemed unimaginablethat anyone should be able to buy amusement at thatrate. With ten dollars he might have bought her anengagement ring; she knew that Mrs. Tom Fry's, whichcame from Springfield, and had a diamond in it, hadcost only eight seventy-five. But she did not know whythe thought had occurred to her. Harney would neverbuy her an engagement ring: they were friends andcomrades, but no more. He had been perfectly fair toher: he had never said a word to mislead her. Shewondered what the girl was like whose hand was waitingfor his ring....
　　Boats were beginning to thicken on the Lake and theclang of incessantly arriving trolleys announced thereturn of the crowds from the ball-field. The shadowslengthened across the pearl-grey water and two whiteclouds near the sun were turning golden. On theopposite shore men were hammering hastily at a woodenscaffolding in a field. Charity asked what it was for.
　　"Why, the fireworks. I suppose there'll be a bigshow." Harney looked at her and a smile crept into hismoody eyes. "Have you never seen any good fireworks?""Miss Hatchard always sends up lovely rockets on theFourth," she answered doubtfully.