Part 27 (1/2)
He had been severely tempted, and had put the temptation behind him
Sylvia Jackson hat is termed a man's woman, but Kathleen could realise the fascination she was ht she had thrown herself at Denis Quirk's feet, and he had resisted where other hts in her reeted Denis Quirk kindly when he met her near the house
”I am afraid I was rude to you to-day,” he said, without prea I want you to excuse me”
”I do,” she answered, simply
”Naturally, you were hurt,” he said ”Believe me when I say that I would rather offend anyone than you I place very feo the heroines, but you are one of them For any other I would have been afraid in the flood; I knew that you were safe That was the reason why I offered you no help My fears were for your friend I aiven?”
”Fully,” she answered
”Thank you! That is all I want Good-night!”
He turned on his heel, and went down the avenue on his way to ”The Mercury” office
CHAPTER XV
DESMOND GOES UNDER
In the period of pique and disappointment, when she realised that Denis Quirk was impervious to her attractions, Sylvia Jackson suddenly awoke to a new interest in life At thedecline and a fearful vendetta But this did not deter her fro the Grey Town Intellectual Society's lecture on Art and Artists, which was delivered by George Custance, RA, nor did it prevent the lecturer froirl
Until that moment Grey Toas unaware that Custance existed A few of the townspeople had occasionally noticed aat the ”Fisherman's Retreat,” near thea rod from the banks of the river, and had someti a view of the coast to paper
But he was so quiet and unobtrusive that few persons paid any great attention to him It was indeed entirely by chance that the Intellectual Society secured his services The secretary wrote to an artist friend in Melbourne, suggesting a lecture; the ansas short and concise: ”Sorry I cannot find time to amuse you Try Claude Custance; he knows more about art than any other man in Australia”
”Try Custance! Who the dickens is Custance?” the secretary asked the president
”Blessed if I know Ask Gurner; he is sure to know,” the president answered
In the club Gurner was nicknaarded as a local Burke, who could fire off the pedigrees and performances of every family in the district
The secretary discovered hi a novice down at billiards
”Do you know a an
Gurner prided hie To be unable to point out the identity of any person in the toas to ruin a reputation He paused abruptly fro
”Custance, did you say?”
”Yes; Custance, an artist”
”There is a grey man of that name at the 'Fisherman's Retreat' He is a bit of an artist, they tell me I will ask Cowley,” he said