TRAILING JUNIPER 



person in this new order of equilibrium, who wore 

 a shining air of perception and invitation. Always 

 she seemed to be saying in a sly mute way : &quot;Yes, 

 I know, you have something to say to me that 

 you haven t said, but it will keep. Wait.&quot; It 

 is true the winter had kept her out of our little 

 circle, but Gabe came over pretty regularly to us, 

 and he nearly always brought a neat little bunch 

 of her winter carnations, and there was something 

 subtle in his bringing them, as if they said in 

 spite of him, &quot; Oh, he wouldn t have thought of 

 it don t you make any mistake.&quot; They were 

 always delicate reminders to me, at least, that the 

 woman s remembrance was fragrant. 



Now, how could a mature man in my condi 

 tion help growing sentimental toward Griselle ? 

 How could I help observing what an improved 

 vision I had for trifles, as I watched all the shoots 

 of this sentimentality, as they came out in small 

 solicitudes and little jealousies ? I wondered if 

 she preserved her ineffable impartiality by putting 

 carnations every day in her new guest s chamber. 

 &quot; I suppose,&quot; I remarked to Gabe, &quot; that Mr. 

 Cumberland enjoys a bunch of flowers in his 

 room, for nothing takes the edge off desolation 

 like flowers.&quot; &quot; I d know nothin bout that,&quot; 

 said Gabe, with sincere indifference. &quot; I guess 

 the gal ain t got pinks enough this time o year 

 to hand out to everybody.&quot; Sometimes there 

 were tones in Gabe s voice, uncouth as he was, 

 that were really quite human. Three months ago, 

 I remarked to myself, she would have sent the 



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