Part 18 (1/2)
”Do you knohy I came over here now, Verna?” he burst forth suddenly, impulsively ”It was because I heard you would be here, and I couldn't help trying er eyes held her Yet her reply was unequivocal, though kind
”Your luck is elsewhere, Harry,” she answered softly but firmly ”Try it I don't want to hurt you, but there is no other way out”
He began to plead He was at low ebb now, but luckvery great, but substantial
Would she not wait? And a great dealthe roses, and the bees hu butterflies But Verna's ansas the same steady shake of the head
”It's of no use, Harry,” she said ”I like you very much, as you know, but not in that way People are draards each other--in that way-- or they are not I , and so on, but if you were ever such a millionaire I'm afraid it would make no difference in that way Now do you see?”
He said nothing He looked at her withas here under the burning midday sun, so cool and fresh and self-possessed And it was hopeless
”Well, I suppose I' but a born idiot,” he said, but not resentfully
Verna laid a hand upon his arm
”No, you're not,” she said ”Only--your luck is elsewhere You'll find it some day sooner or later, and remember my words”
Then she looked at him in astonishlance she saw the reason Denha the path which led to the house He must have seen them, but looked as if he had not, and passed on without any attempt to join them
Verna's astonishment was dispelled, but she made no remark as to it or its cause Tactfully she led Harry Stride on to other topics, and his jealous eyes noted that she made no excuse to return to the house, in fact, she drew him off down a little-used path under the trees; nor was it until an hour after that they returned, a little late for lunch, Verna declaring, publicly, that they had had a htful walk
Yes, but for all that, she and Denhaht poor Stride How lucky some men were, how unlucky others This one apparently had not a care in the world, and noas going to rob hi How he hated hi easily to her
”What's the matter with your appetite, Mr Stride?” re away almost untouched
”Oh, I don't know, Mrs Shelford It's too hot, I suppose Or it may be that I tried a new concoction at the club that some fellow left theht it vile
Heard anyback, by the way?”
”I' hi hi back to-ht she kneas wrong with Stride's appetite
”You'rea short stay this tih on Robson being left alone,” which caused the sers out your way, Stride?” asked abumptious A boy of ours came at me with a pick-handle the other day because I threatened to hammer him Only threatened, h--had to, you know”
”I should think so,” said the hostess eet”
”Rather Well, we cleared this dev--er--this chap out When he got to a safe distance he turned round and sang out that it didn'tto be made meat of directly, and he and soot out a rifle, but that didn't scare hiht Mustn't take the law into your own hands, Stride,” said Inspector James humorously ”Only, if you do, see that you abolish the _corpus delicti_”
”Talking of _corpus delicti_,” said thein this rumour that a white man has been killed in the Makanya forest? I heard that so had been found that pointed to it, but not the remains of the chap himself”