ItoccurredtoWestover，andnotforthefirsttime，thatthefrankestthinginJeffDurginwashisdispositiontousehisfriends。ItseemedtohimthatJeffwasalwaysaskingsomethingofhim，anditdidnotchangethefactthatinthiscasehethoughthimaltogetherintheright。
HesaidthatifMrs。Durginspoketohimofthematterhewouldnotkeepthelightfromher。Helookedbehindhim，now，forthefirsttime，inrecognitionoftheplacewheretheyhadstopped。\"Why，thisisWhitwell’sClearing。\"
\"Didn’tyouknowit？\"Jeffasked。\"Itchangesagooddealeveryyear，andyouhaven’tbeenhereforawhile，haveyou？\"
\"NotsinceMrs。Marven’spicnic，\"saidWestover，andheadded，quickly，toeffacethepainfulassociationwhichhemusthavecalledupbyhisheedlesswords：
\"Thewoodshavecrowdedbackuponitso。Itcan’tbemorethanhalfitsoldsize。\"