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IN the winter there were the skiers, and in the su to theand the fall, when Lost Saints Lodge was most beautiful

Mrs Emmons, who always ca room, one hand to her bluish-silver hair as she ser "I do so look forward to ers," she said archly, and put one stubby, beringed hand on his

"It’s good of you to say so," Mr Rogers responded in a voice that ement to the

"I hear that you have a new chef" She looked around the dining rooers followed her glance and gave a little, eloquent shrug "It’s off-season, Mrs Eives us a breather before winter, and allows us a little ti, but you’re not here then"

"I’ her head in a haughty way it had taken her years to perfect

Nor, thought Mr Rogers, of the suave her half a smile "Certainly off-season is less hectic"

She took a nervous sip frolass before her Mrs Eed for a side-car, but she knew that such drinks were considered old-fashioned and she had reached that point in her life when she dreaded the reality of age "Tell lass down, "is that nice Mr Franciscus still with you?"

"Of course" Mr Rogers had started away from the table, but he paused as he said this, a flicker of amusement in his impassive face

"I’ve always liked to hear hih in her tone than she knew

"He does indeed," Mr Rogers agreed "He’ll be in the lounge after eight, as always"

"Oh, good," Mrs Ehtly before she turned her attention to the waiter who had appeared at her elbow

Mr Rogers was out of the dining room and halfway across the lobby when an inconspicuous door on the ers looked up swiftly, and turned toward the stairs that led to the mezzanine

The door opened onto a small library comfortably furnished in dark-stained wood and substantial Victorian chairs upholstered in leather There was one person in the rooers closed the door When he spoke, it was not in English

"I just saw Mrs Ee of weariness "She’s looking forward to seeing that ’nice Mr Franciscus’ "

"Oh, God," said Mr Franciscus in er will be here soon, too?"

"She’s due to arrive on Wednesday" Boths, Mr Rogers by the door "I’ve given them cabins A28 and A52, back to back over the creek"

"And if the water doesn’t bother them, they’ll have a fine time," Mr Franciscus said "I didn’t have time to tune the harpsichord, so I’ll have to use the piano tonight" He came away from the s and sank into the nearest chair

"I don’t think anyone willtable to a new angle as he sat

"Perhaps not, but I should have done it" He propped his elbows on the arers under his chin His hands were beautifully shaped but surprisingly se trail that’s going to need reinforce wash-out at the first thaw"

"I’ll send Matt out to fix it Is that where you were this afternoon? Out on the trails?" There was a mild interest but his questions were calmly asked and as caler Jackson, Baxter, so like that, told ers said automatically "Ever since that scare in Fox Hollow, he’s been jittery about fire He’s the one who put up all the call stations on the ood that someone is concerned They lost sixteen cabins at Fox Hollow," Franciscus responded with a touch of severity "If we had the sareat deal more to lose-and one hundred twenty-four cabins would be aFranciscus levelly

"We’re going to need soood repair and the tack rooon should be repainted If we can get this done before winter it would be helpful" He brushed his black jeans to rid thelish, not Western, ance about hi He stared at Mr Rogers a moment "Are there any disturbances that I should know about? You see the matter his consideration "It’s just the usual off-season doldruuess We’re a little fuller than ere last fall There’s a retired couple from Chillicothe, name of Barnes in cabin 12, they’re new; a couple froirl is recovering from some sort of disease, at least that’s what her mother told me-their name is Harper There’s a juain I’ve put her in cabin A65"

"It’s been-what?-three years since she was here last?" Franciscus asked

"Three years" Mr Rogers nodded "There’s also a new fellow up in cabin 33"

"Cabin 33? Isn’t that a little relanced swiftly toward theand the wooded slope beyond the bad pool A wide, well-marked path led up the hill on the far side of these facilities, winding in easy ascent into the trees Cabin 33 was the last cabin on the farthest branch of the trail,roo "I told him he would find it cold and quite lonely He said that was fine"

"If that’s what he wants" Franciscus dismissed the newcoulars? Aside froer?"

"We’ll have the Blake on the weekend Myron Shire is co to finish his new book, as usual Sally and Elizabeth Jenkins arrive next Tuesday Sally wrote to say that Elizabeth’s been in the sanatoriu alcoholic We’ll have all four Lellands for ten days, and then they’ll go on to the Coast Harriet Good for six weeks, and should arrive so man The Davies The Coltraines The Wylers The Pastores Professor Harris Jim Sutton will be here, but for five days only His newspaper wants him to cover thatas usual The Lindhol poorly and Martha said that he has had heart trouble this year Richard Bachmere and his cousin, whose name I can never remember"

"Samuel," Franciscus supplied

"That’s the one The Mura this year He’s attending a conference in Seattle The Browns The Matins The Luis Tim Halloran is booked in for the weekend only, but Cynthia is in Mexico and won’t be here at all And that’s about it" Mr Rogers folded his hands over his chest

"Not bad for fall off-season What’s the average stay?" Franciscus inquired as he patted the dust fro his nose as the puffs rose

"No, not bad for off-season The average stay is just under teeks, and if this year is like the last three years, we’ll pick up an odd reservation or two between now and the skiers We’ll have a pretty steady flow fro We’re underbooked until just before Christmas, e open the slopes But those twelve cabins still have to be readied"

Franciscus nodded "Before the skiers" He stared at his boot where his ankle was propped on his knee "We’d better hire that band for the winter season, I think I don’t want to be stuck doing four sets a night again Have you asked around Standing Rock for winter help?"

"Yes We’ve got four women and three men on standby" He consulted his watch "The restaurant linen truck should be here in a few et over to the kitchen What ti?"

Franciscus shrugged "Oh, eight-thirty sounds about right for this sine they’ll want ht We can let Ross do a couple late sets with his guitar if there’s enough of an audience If not, then Frank can keep the bar open as long as he wants How does that sound to you?"

"Good for the whole week Saturday will be busier, and we’ll have ements are necessary" He rose "Kathy’s determined to serve chateaubriand in force to have to talk her out of it I know that the chef’s special should live up to its name, but the price of beef today" He rolled his eyes up as if in appeal to heaven

"Why not indulge her? It’s better she make chateaubriand in forcemeat for an off-season crowd than for the skiers Let her have an occasional extravagance She’s a fine chef, isn’t she?" Franciscus leaned back in his chair

"So they tell lish

"Then why not?" He reached for his black hat with the silver band "Just make sure she understands that you can’t do this too often She’ll appreciate it" He got to his feet as well "I want to take one ht We’ve got six guest stalls ready The Browns always bring those pride-cut geldings they’re so proud of I’ll get changed about the tiers held the door open and let Franciscus leave ahead of him "I’ll tell Mrs Emmons"

Franciscus chuckled "You’ve no pity, my friend If she requests ’When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain,’ I will expire, I pro when they reached the lobby once more A tall, tweedy woistration desk and looked around as Mr Rogers and Franciscus reached the foot of the stairs "Oh, there you are," she said to the ers said, "Good afternoon, Ms Goodman" at the saers Mr Franciscus" She extended her hand to theer’s first There were three leather bags by her feet and though she wore no makeup beyond lipstick, she now, as always, sistration desk, Mr Rogers found her reservation card at once and was filling in the two credit lines for her "Six weeks this titired Six years on the lecture circuit is too wearing" She looked over the form "Cabin 21 My favorite," she remarked as she scribbled her nas?"

"I’ers said as he took the forood for hiht it was a shaht lose that opportunity" She held out her hand for the key

"He got the scholarship," Mr Rogers said with a quick glance at Franciscus

"I’ll be happy to carry your bags, Harriet," Franciscus volunteered "I’"

Her hazel eyes were expressive and for a one and her social polish returned "Thank you verythe ler, but"

"No tip," Franciscus said rather sharply "Call it a courtesy for a welco and was gathering up the other two

"I s around wears e" She had started toward the door and the broad, old-fashioned porch that led to the path to cabin 21

Franciscus was a few steps behind her "I’m probably older than you think," he said easily He alking briskly, his heels tapping s

They were aler in an inappropriate shirtwaist dress stepped out onto the path Franciscus recognized her frouests in cabin 19

"Excuse me," she said timorously, "but could you tell ave the teen-ager a quick, discerning glance, and Franciscus answered her "You’ll have to go past the lodge and take the widest path It runs right beside the badn But I’uard, so if you want to swiot the canoes and boats out yet, either Two ht," she said in a quick, shaky voice "I just want to walk a bit" She clutched her hands nervously, thenthe path away from them

"That’s one juirl was out of earshot "Who is she?"

"She’s new," Franciscus said, resuers said that she’s apparently recovering froirl, he doubted that was the real problem, but kept his opinion to hi from an illness, my ass"

There were five wooden steps down to the door of cabin 21, which was tucked away from the rest on the path, the last one of the twelve on this walk Harriet Goodoodness You people always air out the cabins I can’t tell you how much I hate that musty smell" She tossed her purse on the couch and went to the bedroo’s fine Let me check the bathroom" She disappeared and caels"

"The owner doesn’t like his property to get run-down," Franciscus said, as he put the bags on the racks in the bedroom

Harriet Goodman watched him, her hands on her hips "You know, Franciscus, you puzzle me," she said with her usual directness

"I do? Why?" He was faintly amused and his fine brows lifted to punctuate his inquiry

"Because you’re content to re of her forehead

"I like it here I valuehim "In the middle of a resort"

"What better place?" He hesitated, then went on "I do like privacy, but not isolation I have tih there are h my life like, well, shadows"

"Shadows"

He heard the melancholy in her voice "I said almost all You’re not a candidate for shadow-doently self-deriding "That will teach me to fish for compliments"

Franciscus looked at her kindly before he left the cabin "You’re being unkind to yourself What aler?" He nodded to her and strolled to the door

Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the door he had closed behind hi the harpsichord to the piano, though the old instrue He had his wrenches laid out on the elaborately painted bench and was busy with tuning forks when the teen-ager found him at work

"Oh! I didn’t mean" She turned a curiously ht"

"Hardly io on the worn keys

"I think it’s pretty" Her eyes pleaded with him not to contradict her

His curiosity was piqued "That’s kind of you to say, but it will sound a great deal better once I get it tuned"

"May I watch? I won’t say anything I pro in the nervous way he had noticed before

"If you wish It’s boring, so don’t feel you have to stay" His penetrating dark eyes rested on her cornflower blue ones, then he gave his attention to the harpsichord again He used his D tuning fork, struck it and placed it against the raised lid of the instru the s quickly Methodically he repeated the process with all the Ds on the keyboard

"Is that hard, what you’re doing?" she asked when he had worked his way up to F

"Hard? No, not when I’ve got er because I have difficulty allowing for the resonances, the over and undertones, in h he did not stop his task He selected the G fork and struck it expertly

"You have perfect pitch?" She found the idea exciting "I’ve never known anyone with perfect pitch"

"Yes" Franciscus placed the vibrating fork against the wood, and the note, eerily pure, hummed loudly in the room "That’s the resonant note of this instrument, which is why it’s so irl looked awed "That’s a"

"No, it’s physics," he corrected her wryly What rong with that child? Franciscus asked hiht and the shape of her body, she had to be at least sixteen, but she had the er person Perhaps she had truly been ill Or perhaps she was recovering fro more harmful than illness "All instruments have one particular resonant note In the ancient world, this was attributed toher covertly

"Did they? That’s wonderful" She sounded so forlorn that he worried shethe matter, Miss"

"Harper," she said, with an unaccountable blush "Emillie Harper"

"Hello, Miss Harper I’ravely

She was about to take it when a stranger came into the room He was a tall, lean man dressed, like Franciscus, predominantly in black, but unlike Franciscus, he wore the color with an air of menace There was a flamboyance, a theatricality about him: his dark hair was perfectly silvered at the terandeur in his deh he was certainly no older than Franciscus, he gave the impression of world-weariness that the other, shorter man conspicuously lacked

"I didn’t mean to interrupt," he announced for form’s sake, in a fine deep voice that oozed ennui

"Quite all right," Franciscus assured hi, and Miss Harper and I were discussing resonance Is there anything I can do for you? Dinner service began a quarter hour ago, if you’re hungry"

The stranger gave a slight shudder "Dinner No I’ers?" His soulful brown eyes roved around the lounge as if he suspected thein the shadows

"He should be with the chef He usually is at the start of dinner," Franciscus told hiood humor "Give him another ten ers at once," the stranger stated with great finality "It’s urgent"

Ehtly and stared from one man to the other Her blue eyes were distressed and sheto flee invisible shackles

"Miss Harper," Franciscus said calers for this gentleman Would you like to come with an to roll down his shirt sleeves With a twitch he adjusted the black silk ascot at his neck before shrugging on the jacket

The depth of gratitude in the girl’s eyes was pathetic "Oh, yes I would Please"

Franciscus regarded the tall interloper "If you’ll be good enough to wait at the registration desk, Mr Rogers will join you shortly It’s the best I can do, Mr"

"Lorpicar," was the answer "I’m in cabin 33"

"Are you" Franciscus had already led Ee He sensed that Mr Lorpicar wanted hih he felt a deep curiosity possess hiirl away

Jie shortly after ten the next evening, while Franciscus was doing his second set The reporter was dressed with his usual finicky elegance in contrast to his face which held the comfortable appeal of a rumpled bed He waved to Franciscus and took a seat at the bar, waiting for the buzzy and unobtrusive sounds of the harpsichord to cease

"It’s good to see you again, Mr Sutton," the bartender said as he approached "Cruzan with liain, Frank You’re right about the drink" He had often been amused by the tales he had heard of reporters and bourbon: he had never liked the stuff Ruhly polished ht hie with little ice and a fair aone, you tell , Mr Sutton," said the bartender in his faded southern accent as he gave the reporter an indulgent s the imperious summons of Mrs Emmons at the far end of the bar

Jim Sutton was into his second drink when Franciscus slipped onto the stool beside M

Franciscus shrugged "Haydn filtered through Duke Ellington"

"Keeps the peasants happy" He had braced his elbows on the bar and was looking over the lounge It wasn’t crowded but it was far froers said that business was up again"

"It is" Franciscus took the ten dollar bill and stuffed it into Jiuest tonight Present "

"Okay, Franciscus," came the answer from the other end of the bar

"You don’t use any nicknae theht there was more tension in the sardonic, kindly eyes than he had seen before "How’s it going?"

"I wish I had more time off," Sutton lass back on the bar "This last year God! Thein Houston, and the radiation victiht I was through with that when I ca to h heels of his custom-made black shoes over the foot brace of the stool and prepared himself to listen

It was ain "I’ve heard all the crap about reporters being cold sons-of-bitches It’s true of a lot of them It’s easier if you can do it that way What can you say, though, when you look at fourteen bodies, neatly eviscerated, after teeks of decomposition in a muddy riverbank? What do you tell the public about the twenty-six victims of a radiation leak at a reactor? Do you knohat those poor bastards looked like? And the paper’sabout finding ways to attract lass with another Jih "I’ve been going to a shrink I used to scoff at the guys who did, but I’ve had to join them Lelland University has offered hed at the about it"

"Do you want to teach?" It was the first question that Franciscus had asked and it somewhat startled Jim Sutton

"I don’t know I’ve never done it I know thatincompetents, andmy ass with Still, I tell myself that I could make a difference, that if I had had the kind of reporter I arief Oraway, and in a year, I’ll be slavering to be back on the job" He tasted the drink and set it aside

"Why not try teaching for a year, just to find out if you want to do it, and then ive you leave, won’t it?" His suggestion was nonchalant and he said it in such a way that he did not require a response

Jiives me an out Whether it works or it doesn’t, there is a way for ht decision" He h

"I’ve got another set coot off the stool "Any requests?"

"Sure" This had becoe with them in the last three years "The ballet music froht face, thinking that this was sufficiently obscure, as he himself had only heard it once, and that was a fluke

Franciscus said, "The court scene dances? All of them?" He was unflustered and the confident, ironic smile returned "Too easy, Jim; much too easy"

Jim Sutton shook his head "I should have known I’ll stump you one day" He took another sip of the rum, and added, "Here’s a bit of trivia for you-Tchaikovsky collected the music of the Count de Saint-Germain Do you knoho he was?"

"Oh, yes I know" He had stepped back

"Yeah, well" Before he could go on, he was interrupted by Mrs Emmons at the end of the bar who caroled out, "Oh, Mr Franciscus, would you play ’When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain’ for me?"

Emillie Harper was noticeably pale the next day as she sat by the pool in her tunic swiave a wan sate onto the wide, ," Harriet called as she saw the girl "I thought I was the first one out"

"No," Emillie said hastily "I haven’t hadin the "

"Good advice," Harriet concurred "You won’t be as likely to burn"

"I was hoping there ht," she said wistfully "I heard that Mr Rogers has night swiested as she spread her towel over the depiction of a Roman bireme She had often been struck with the very Roe For some reason it did not have that phony feel that so many others had The mosaics were part of it, but that was not it entirely Harriet Goodman had a nose for authenticity, and she could smell it here and wondered why It was cool but she did not deceive herself that her frisson came from the touch of the wind

"Pardon me," Emillie said a bit later, "but haven’t I seen you before? I know that sounds stupid," she added, blushing

Harriet had cultivated her considerable charirl "Why, not at all-it’s very kind of you I do occasional television appearances and I lecture all over the country If I h of an impression for you to rehtened a little, though on soer was, enthusiaso," she added guiltily

"Well, I’ve been around for quite a time" Harriet said as she lay back on the towel What was bothering the girl? she wondered

"I’m sorry, but I don’t remember what it was you talked about" Emillie was afraid she had insulted the older wo entirely

"Child abuse I’m a psychiatrist, Miss Harper But at the moment, I am also on vacation" Her voice was expertly neutral, and she est disapproval

"A psychiatrist?" She repeated the word as if it were contaminated

Harriet had experienced that reaction too ian than Freudian I got into child abuse by accident" She had a rich chuckle "That does sound oh Freud would have it that ra child abuse unintentionally Since I’m a woman, when I first went into practice I had few reat many men don’t feel comfortable with a woman analyst After a while, I discovered that a fair number of my women patients were either child abusers themselves or were lanced over at the deive me Here I’ve told you I’ shop talk"

"It’s all right," Eelid tone

They had been there quite the better part of half an hour when the gate opened again Mrs Eeous rhine-stoned sunglasses, sauntered up to the edge of the pooL "Oh, hello, girls," she called to the others "Isn’t it a beautiful ?"

"Christ!" Harriet expostulated, and lay back in the sun

A little bit later, Mrs Granger arrived, wearing an enormous flowered hat and a beach robe of such voluminous cut that the shrunken body it covered see in the shallow end of the pool and hooting with delight

Pink athered up her towel, ht be construed as excuses, and fled Harriet propped herself on her elbow and watched E, her senses on the alert

There was a low rock at the tip of the point, and Ji out over the lake to the steep slope rising on the western bank A discarded, half-eaten sandwich had already begun to attract ants to the side of the rock

"Hello, Jim," Harriet said as she ca "There’s a spurious rumor that this lake has been stocked with trout"

"But no luck," she inferred

"No luck" He reeled in the line and cast again "I got four eighteen-inchers last year"

"Maybe it’s the wrong tiood sense to stay back froh only part of her reason had to do with fishing "I hear that you’ll have to make your stay short this year There’s that trial in Denver"

"There is indeed" He looked down and saw the remains of his sandwich, which he kicked away

"Mustn’t litter," Harriet ad? I’ niche," he shot back "I don’t knohy I bother Nothing’s going to bite today"

Harriet selected the least rough part of a fallen log and sat on it, rather gingerly, and was pleased when it held So much fallen as rotten, no matter how sound it appeared "I’ll buy you a drink if you’d like to coe with an to reel in his line "You in cabin 21?"

"As usual And you?"

"Cabin A42 As usual" He caught up his leader and held it carefully, inspecting his hook and bait before turning to her

"Then we’re alhbors" That was a polite fiction: a steep pathway connected the tider trails on which their cabins were located, and the distance required a good ten minutes after dark

"Perhaps you’d like to coood" He faced her now, and came up beside her "Don’t worry about me, Harriet I do take a reasonable amount of care of myself We’re neither of us children, anymore"

She put an arm across his back "No, we’re not children" They were ht, so their kiss was almost too easy "I ether, walking side by side "Anyone new in your life?"

"No one i "And you?"

"There was one wo a disaster Everything afterward is an anticli in the road and were startled to see the strange guest fro toward them Mr Lorpicar nodded to both Harriet and Sutton, but did not speak, continuing down the path with an expression at once detere duck," Harriet said as they resumed their walk

"He’s the one in cabin 33, isn’t he?" Jiure a quick look over his shoulder

"I think so" She dug her hands deep into the pockets of her hiking slacks, watching Jim Sutton with covert concern

"I saw hiirl, I’ve seen her before, I know I have I just can’t place her" They were at the crest of a gentle rise and through the pines they could see the back of the Lodge "I hate it when I can’t reently "You’ll think of it Probably it isn’t this girl at all, but another one, equally colorless Both her parents look like frightened hares" She thought about this as they approached the Lodge "You’d think one of thehter turn out that way I thought that one of theht be pious or invalidish, but they’re as painfully ordinary as the girl is"

"Such language for a psychiatrist," Jim Sutton ade, into the lounge, and they did not talk about Emillie Harper or the peculiar Mr Lorpicar anyestures were always a little too large for his surroundings He enjoyed his own flamboyance, and was sincerely upset if others did not enjoy it, too His wife, Eleanore, was a stately wo skirts and Guateht on the lake, one of the largest and ers, you’re outdoing yourself," Nick Wyler announced as he ca rooers ood of you to say so"

"That ht You esture that took in the entire dining roo "Really beautiful restoration None of the schlock that’s turning up all over the place I’d bet lish, eighteenth century" He beamed and waited for his expertise to be confirers said at his ue in 1761" Before Nick Wyler could take issue with this, or eers had turned away and was leading Mrs Eer to their table by the

"The chef’s special this evening, ladies, is stuffed pork chops And in addition to the usual dessert menu, the chef has prepared a custard-filled tart If you’ll simply tell the waiter, he’ll see that your selections are brought proravelly voice "He knohat service naled for the waiter and was once again at the door of the dining rooratiatingly, as if they were the inferiors Mr Harper was solicitous of his wife and daughter and respectful to Mr Rogers

"Our table there, Doris, Eer to behave properly that he was infuriating

As Mr Rogers held the chair for Doris Harper, he saith real pleasure, Harriet Goode He hastened back to theether, I assume?"

"Why naniot the nicer table, anyway" His voice dropped and he stared once irl I know it"

"It’ll come to you," Harriet told hi tired of hearing him speculate They saw each other so rarely that she resented time lost in senseless preoccupation with others

Franciscus appeared in the door to the lounge and er reached him, he said, "Where’s Lorpicar? I saw him out on the trails today Has he coers said quietly "Oh, dear"

"I’ll go have a look for him if he hasn’t turned up by the end of dinner" He was dressed for playing in the lounge, not for riding at night, but he did not appear to be put out "I saw the Blake to play a while, and he’s a good enough pianist for it"

"Last year he did an entire evening for us," Mr Rogers recalled, not precisely relieved "I’ll uests has seen Lorpicar" He watched Franciscus return to the lounge, and then went to seat the Browns and the Lindholms, aited for hiers had discovered nothing about the reclusive man in cabin 33 He was about to return with this unpleasant piece of inforh the doors into the foyer

"Mr Lorpicar," Mr Rogers said as he came forward "You’re almost too late for dinner"

The cold stare that Mr Lorpicar gave the ave his blandest smile "We were concerned when you did not return"

"What I do is my own business," Mr Lorpicar declared, and stepped hastily into the dining room and went directly to the Harpers’ table

At the approach of Mr Lorpicar, Emillie looked up and turned even paler than usual "Gracious," she murmured as the formidable man bore down on her

"I wonder who this is supposed to impress?" Harriet said very softly to Jiesture for e room buzzed with conversation, and then fell silent as many eyes turned toward the Harper table

"You did not come," Mr Lorpicar accused Emillie "I waited for you and you did not coers, watching from the door, felt rather than saw Franciscus appear at his elbow

"Trouble?" Franciscus asked in a low voice

"Very likely," was the an, but the tall, dark-cladto Eirl’s face "I want to see you tonight I ht"

The diners were silent, their reactions ranging froust to envy Ji, his eyes narrowed

"I don’t know if I can," she faltered, pushing her fork through the remains of her meal

"You will" He reached out and tilted her head upward "You will"

Doris Harper gave a little shriek and stared at her water glass as her husband pressed pleats into his napkin

"I don’t know" Eot no further

"Excuse me," Franciscus said with utmost urbanity "If Miss Harper wishes to continue what is obviously a private conversation in the lounge, I’ll be glad to offer you my company so that her parents need not be concerned If she would prefer not to talk with you just at present, Mr Lorpicar, it ht be best if you take a seat for the meal or"

Mr Lorpicar failed to shove Franciscus out of his way, but he did brush past him with a softly spoken curse, followed by a declaration to the rooe "I’ll eat later," and added, in the same breath to Emillie Harper, "We haven’t finished yet"

Franciscus left the dining room almost at once, but not before he had bent down to Emillie and said quietly, "If you would rather not be importuned by Mr Lorpicar, you have only to tell e, and if he heard the sudden rush of conversation, there was no indication of it in his e now and Frank was s to tell you all evening," Harriet said to Franciscus, "that was aroom"

Franciscus raised his fine brows in polite disbelief "It seemed the best way to deal with a very aard situation" He looked at Jim Sutton on the other side of the sirl yet?"

"No" The adarette in the fine crystal ashtray

"You know," Harriet went on with professional detach to watch E at Lorpicar, but I found E of the two For all her protestations, she was absolutely rapt She looked at that od and she his chosen acolyte Can you i that way for a macho nerd like Lorpicar?"

"Isher with a delighted, sarcastic smile

"Of course All conscientious psychiatrists use it" She was quite unrufflable

"Acolytes!" Ji his hand on the table top and spilling his drink "That’s it!"

"What?" Harriet inquired in her best calirl Their last name isn’t Harper, it’s Matthisen She was the one who caused all the furor when that religious fake in Nevada brought the suit against her for breach of contract He n contracts with him, as a way to stop the kind of prosecution that some of the other cults have run into She, Emillie, was one of Reverend Masters’ converts She was kidnapped back by one of the professional deprograot hirata in Nevada for his ith Eainst Eainst her parents and Eric Saul for conspiracy" His face was flushed "I read ood defended the Matthisens and Saul Part of the defense was that not only was the girl under age-she was sixteen then-but that she was socially unsophisticated and particularly vulnerable to that sort of coercion" He took his glass and tossed off the ruer smile

"Didn’t Enid Hu of her illustrious colleague "She’s been doing a lot of that in siuy froht off It’s so like Dick Sist who did the book a couple years back" He leaned toward Harriet, and both were so caught up in what Ji that they were startled when Franciscus put in a question

"Who won?" He sat back in his chair, hands folded around the uppermost crossed knee

"The defense," Jiureement had not been explained to her faullible to a con of that sort than a great ht be"

Harriet pursed her lips "Enid told me about this, or a similar case, and said that she orried about kids like Eer than they are, so that they don’t have to deal with their own fears of weakness, but can identify with their master Reverend Masters is fortunate in his name," she added wryly "I’ve seen wo husbands, kids who feel that way about parents, occasionally, adults who feel that way about religious or industrial or political leaders It’s one of the attitudes that lass of port she had been nursing, but now she took a fair amount of the ripe liquid into her mouth

"Reverend Masters" Jim Sutton repeated (he name three or four times to himself "You know, he’s a tail el face, one of those men who looks thirty-five until he’s sixty He’s in Arizona or New Mexico now, I think So him too closely"

"And do you think he’ll continue?" Franciscus inquired gently of the two

"Yes," Harriet said promptly "There are always people who need a person like Masters in their lives They invent hinet to them"

"That’s damn cynical for a woman in your line of work," Jim Sutton chided her "You make it sound so hopeless"

For a moment Harriet looked very tired and every one of her forty-two years "There are tiht be just because I deal with child abuse, but there are tiet any better, and all the work and caring and heartbreak will be for nothing It will go on and on and on"

Jiarded her with alarm, but Franciscus turned his dark, co-far better than you think Harriet, your caring, your love is never wasted It may not be used, but it is never wasted"

She stared at Franciscus astonished

"You know it is true, Harriet," Franciscus said kindly "You know it or you wouldn’t be doing the work you do And now, if you’ll excuse me" he went on in his usual tones, and rose from the table "I have a few chores I ht" He was alreadyacross the dimly lit room, and stopped only once on his way to speak to the Wylers

"Well, well, well, what do you know," Ji histo see why you have dreareat line"

"That wasn’t a line," Harriet said quietly

Jim nodded, contrition in his face "Yeah I know" He stared into his glass "Are the dreams like that?"

Her ansry but her expression was troubled "Not exactly I haven’t had one yet this ti instead Your place or ht?" He put his hand on her shoulder "Look, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded Erotic dreauy"

"I only have the dreams when I’m here," Harriet said, as if to explain to herself "I wish I knehy" Her laugh was sad "I wouldn’tthem elsewhere Dreams like that"

"It’s probably the proxi her withdrawal, "I’m not jealous of the otherto be jealous of a dream" He finished his rum and cocked his head in the direction of the door "Ready?"

"God, yes," she sighed, and followed hiht

For the last two days Emillie Harper had wandered about listlessly, oblivious to the stares and whispers that followed her She had taken to wearing slacks and turtle-neck sweaters, clai she was cold Her face an and her eyes were fever-bright

"I’m worried about that child," Harriet said to Franciscus as they came back from the stable

"Victim’s syndrome, do you think?" Franciscus asked, his voice carefully neutral

"More than that I can’t iood lay Men like that almost never are" She was sore froht nore the protestingherself that if she walked nor

"Do you think they’re sleeping together?" Franciscus asked They were abreast of the enclosed swi pool now and could hear Mrs Es around all day, hardly eats, and ht And I’ve yet to see him up before dusk" She nodded to Myron Shires, who had set a chair out on the lawn in front of the Lodge and had propped a portable typewriter on his knees and was tapping the keys with pianistic intensity There was a two-beat pause as he waved an off-handed greeting

"Why do you think that Lorpicar wants her?" Franciscus persisted

"Because she’s the youngest woman here, because she adores hin air, his do his own judg up as a large pickup with a two-horse trailer passed by "Where would you say he cohed "Peoria"

"Do you say that because you’re foreign yourself?" She lish is al about the rhythm of it, or the word choice You don’t speak it natively, do you?"

"No, not natively" His answer, though terse, was not critical

Harriet felt herself encouraged "I’ve wondered just where you do come from"

They had started up the wide steps of the porch, heading toward the engraved-glass doors that led into the foyer There was a joyous shout from inside and the doors flew open

Franciscus’ face froze and then lit with a delight Harriet had never seen before He stopped on the second step and opened his ar woman who raced toward him They stood embraced for some little time; then he kissed her eyelids and ain"

"And you" The young wo in appearance Her dark hair fell around her shoulders, her violet eyes danced She was sensibly dressed in a twill pantsuit with cotton shirt and high, serviceable boots Harriet had seen enough tailor- woivehih the de is mere courtesy these days, of course" He had stepped back, but he held Madelaine’s hand firmly in his

"A pleasure," Harriet said She had never before felt herself to be asthere on the steps of the Lodge The strength of the intireat that it was a force in the air Harriet wanted to find a graceful way to excuse herself, but could think of none She ad woman, and felt an indefinable sort of envy

"You must not be shocked," Madelaine said to Harriet "We are blood relatives, Sain Franciscus and I There are not so many of us left, and he and I have been very close"

You’ve been close in ht to herself, but did not voice this observation She felt a wistfulness, knowing that few of her old lovers would respond to her now as Franciscus did to Madelaine "I’ed to say

"Harriet is a psychiatrist, enuinely pleased "I a to have" She did not kno to express her feelings, and esture in compensation

"My face!" Madelaine clapped her free hand to her cheek "It is very difficult, Harriet, to look so young I assure you that I am academically qualified I’ve done postdoctoral work in Europe and Asia Youas I look" Her disenuine and she turned to Franciscus "You’re worse than I a froreed "Harriet, will you forgive me if I leave you here?"

"Certainly You probably want to catch up on everything" She still felt a twinge of regret, but rigorously overcaht" As she started back down the stairs and along the wooded path toward her cabin, she heard Madelaine say, "I’ve brought one of ht"

"I’ out with the owner," Franciscus said, and was rewarded withher hands into her pockets and told herself that the hurt she felt was fro, and not froe was ragged, as if ht illumed the path by the lake where Emillie Harper walked, her face pensive, her heart full of unspoken longing No one, not even Reverend Masters, had made her feel so necessary as Mr Lorpicar A delicious shudder ran through her and she stopped to look at the faint reflection of her form in the water She could not see the expression of her face-the ie was too indistinct for that Yet she could feel the shtness of her desires She had never experienced any feeling before that was as irresistible as what Lorpicar summoned up in her

A shadow crossed theher welcoe came over her, and her disappoint, Miss Harper," Franciscus said kindly He was astride his gray lish as his boots

"Hello," she said listlessly

He sht be here by the lake Your parents are very worried about you"

"Them!" She had hoped to sound independent and confident, but even to her own ears the as petulant "Yes, them They asked ht you’d prefer talking to me than to your father"

Emillie’s chin rose "I heard that you had a Frenchwoman come to visit you"

"And so I have," Franciscus said with proeniality "She’s a very old friend We’re related in a way"

"Oh, are you French?" she asked, interested in spite of herself

"No, though I’ve lived there upon occasion" He was leading the gray noalking beside Eirl, but in a subtle way not pero to France I’d like to go to Europe I want to be so" Her lower lip pouted and she folded her ar is often another word for dangerous There is an old Chinese curse to that effect"

Emillie tossed her head and her pale brown hair shiht She hoped that Mr Lorpicar was able to see her, for she knew that her pale hair, ordinarily old in bright nights She did not look at the man beside her "You don’t knohat it is to be bored"

"I don’t?" His chuckle was not quite kind "I know ine But I have learned"

"Learned what?" she challenged, staring along the path with ill-concealed expectation

He did not answer her question, but re you tonight" He did not add that he had gone to cabin 33 earlier and uest "You know, Eo on When had such advice ever been heeded? he asked himself

"Get carried away?" she finished for him with as much defiance as she could find within herself "I want to be carried away I want so to happen to me before it’s too late"

Franciscus stopped and felt his e his shoulder with her nose "Too late? You aren’t even twenty"

She glared at hi darkly, "You don’t knohat it’s like My father wanted h Franciscus knew nothing of this unfortunate young e to get married, are you?"

"Father thinks I am He says that I need someone to take care of e on one ahead of hiht that Mr Harper ht be justified in his conviction, for Eh her desire to be controlled "You know," he said reo"

"That Frenchwoman?" Emillie asked so sharply that Franciscus raised his fine brows

"No, this woman was Italian She was a very attractive , and she wanted new sensations in her life There always had to be more, and eventually, she ran out of new experiences, which frightened her badly, and she turned to the orous austerity, which was just another for you about her because I think you ht want to examine your life now"

"You wantin that unbeco, mottled way

"No But you should realize that life is not so that you experience for yourself If you always look outside yourself for your definitions, you enuinely your own-your self" He could tell from the set of her jaw that she did not believe him

"What happened to that Italian woman?" she asked him when he fell silent

"She died in a fire" Which was no more than the truth "Come, Emillie It’s time you went back to your cabin Mr Lorpicar won’t be co now, I think"

"You just don’t want me to see hi" She thought he would be impressed with her deterently

"Of course I don’t want you to see hierous erous," she protested, though with little certainty "He wants to see reed dryly "But you ith hiht, for your parents’ peace of o up to see hi her hands on her hips, alar

"Tomorrow afternoon? That’s up to you" There was a sad ae her mind

"I will" She looked across the curve of the lake to the hillside where cabin 33 was located The path was a little less than a quarter mile around the shore, but from where she stood, the cabin was no more than a hundred fifty yards away The still water was marked by a moon path that lay like a radiant silver bar between her and the far bank where Mr Lorpicar waited for her in vain "He has to see me," she insisted, but turned back on the path

"That’s a ed the subject "Are you going to be at the picnic at the south end of the lake to Mexican food"

"Oh, picnics are silly," she said with the hauteur that only a wo as she could express

"But Kathy is an excellent chef, isn’t she?" he asked playfully, knowing that Lost Saints Lodge had a treasure in her

"Yes," she allowed "I liked that stuff she us and walnuts I didn’t know it could be a salad"

"I understand her enchiladas and chihuahuenos are superb" He was able to speak with coht coiven the matter her consideration "But that’s not a proravely as they walked past the bathing beach and pier and turned toward the break in the trees and the path that went froe itself and to cabin 19 beyond, where the Harpers waited for their daughter

Harriet Goodh athered around the stone fireplace where a large, ruddy-cheeked wo touches on the arlic," the chef was instructing the others who stood around her, intoxicated by the s vessels "Mexican or Chinese, there’s no such thing as too -Pao chicken" and she was off on another description

"I don’t kno she does it," Harriet said loudly enough to include Franciscus in her remark

"She’s an artist," Franciscus said si pine, his hands propped behind his head, his eyes all but closed

Mrs E out the heavy square glasses that were part of the picnic utensils "I lass on a picnic," she enthused

"He’s so his voice to call, "Mr Franciscus, what’s your opinion?"

Franciscus s to spend the entire afternoon supine?" Madelaine asked him as Harriet rose to take her place in line for food

"Probably" He did not look at her but there was a softening to his face that revealedcould

"Madelaine!" Harriet called fro you a plate?"

The dark-haired young wo jet lag, I think"

"Aren’t you hungry?" Harriet asked, a solicitous note in her voice

"Not at present" She paused and added, "My assistant will provide so jet lag, I think" had arrived with Madelaine "Where’s she?"

"Nadia is resting She will be here later, perhaps" She leaned back against the tree trunk and sighed

"Nadia is devoted to you, my heart?" Franciscus asked quietly

"Very" She had picked up a piece of bark and was toying with it, turning it over in her hands, feeling the rough and the smooth of it

"Good Are you happy?" There was no anxiety in his question, but a little sadness

Madelaine’s ansas not direct "You told o that your life is very lonely I understand that, for I a my life as it is, than to have succumbed at nineteen and never have known all that I know When I am with you, I am happy The rest of the ti"

"And the work hasn’t disappointed you?" His voice was low and lazy, caressing her

"Not yet Every tiun to understand a city or a people, soht, and I discover that I know al at the weeds that grew near the base of the tree

"This doesn’t disappoint you?"

"No Once in a while, I becoht feel ed as only a Frenchwoman can

A shadow fell across thehter, Eht surely she’d be back by now" He gave Franciscus an ingratiating smile

Franciscus opened his eyes "You ht have gone swi, but her suit was in the bathroos" He held a plate of enchiladas and chalupas, and he earing a plaid shirt and twill slacks that were supposed to make him look the outdoors sort, but only emphasized the slope of his shoulders and the pallor of his skin

Alert now, Franciscus sat up "When did you actually see your daughter last?"

"Well, she came in quite late, and Doris waited for her They had a talk, and Doris left her about two, she says" His face puckered "You don’t think anything has happened to her, do you?"

"You must think so," Franciscus said with an odd combination of kindness and asperity

"Well, yes," thethe child has been through" He stopped and looked at the food on his plate as if there ot to his feet "If it will e and the pool for her, and find out if any of the staff have seen her"