There was to be no escaping to his room. Mrs. Lister laid her arm across his shoulders and together they went out to the porch. The air was cool and sweet; near by a woodpecker tapped slowly, wrens chattered, anxious about their late nestlings, song sparrows trilled, and flickers and robins hopped under the spray which Dr. Lister was sending over his cannas and elephant ears.
Mrs. Lister, with Richard at her side, felt her heart at rest. Utterly had vanished definitely, leaving no trail behind him. She could now think of Richard's future, both immediate and far removed. She asked him whether he would like to pay a visit to Dr. Lister's kin in St. Louis.
"No, indeed," said Richard.
"But you used to want to go out there!"
"But I don't now, mother—unless you want me to take you," he added with sudden compunction.
"Oh, no," said Mrs. Lister.
Further conversation was postponed by the arrival of the Myerses to call. When all possible themes of common interest had been discussed and they had moved on to talk of the same subjects at the Scotts', darkness had come. Mrs. Lister did not wish to give up the idea of a visit.
"You have had a busy winter and this fall you will go to the university, and you may wish to do something else in vacations."
Richard cleared his throat. He sat about a dozen feet away from his father and mother and facing them as a culprit might have sat.
"But I don't wish to go to the university, mother."