Part 16 (2/2)

”Father dear, if only you'd show it! If only--”

He interrupted her by a resounding kiss.

”More that kind of way?” he smiled.

For answer she threw her arms round him and gave him what he immediately decided to be the pleasantest hugging he had ever enjoyed. This was a method of doing his duty that must certainly be repeated; he had no doubts about that. It led to such surprising results, too. In a few minutes he found himself embarked upon the most charmingly confidential conversation.

”It was a little rough on you,” he confessed.

”You mean--?” she hesitated.

”Well, well, perhaps we'd better not allude to it again,” he answered kindly.

But apparently she had no intention at all of avoiding the subject.

”Oh, yes,” she said eagerly. ”I'd like to talk about it with you now.”

It did not seem to occur to the W.S. that he might end by committing himself to some expression of sympathy he would repent of later.

”Capital,” he answered genially. ”You still like the fellow, then?”

”Like him!” she exclaimed. ”Oh, father, I--I still love him.”

”I wish he'd brush his hair a little better and wear a respectable tie; still, he undoubtedly has some original ideas.”

Mr. Walkingshaw found himself musing on the artist's outrageous opinions with a new catholicity. They had staggered him at the moment: they began to interest him now.

”It's a pity he can't make a little more money,” he added.

”But I don't need a large income to be happy, father.”

”Eh?” said Mr. Walkingshaw.

This was going rather too fast; yet when he looked into her s.h.i.+ning eyes, he found it really very difficult to keep severe.

”Money is a very important thing, my dear,” he replied.

”It's not nearly so important as love! Surely, father, it's far, far better that two people should be very, very fond of each other than have plenty of money! You do agree with that, don't you?”

It was at this moment that there came to the little advocate-for-love's a.s.sistance a recollection of the sympathetic widow. In his mind's eye Mr. Walkingshaw suddenly saw a vision of her black eyes vivaciously beaming, and for some reason this enabled him to regard Jean's point of view in a wholly new and original light.

”Well,” said he, ”I'm not sure that there isn't something in what you say. I do believe you're right, my dear--in fact, I'm positive you're right. The love for a fine woman--well, it's a first-rate sensation--most refres.h.i.+ng.”

”For a woman?” asked Jean, a little surprised. ”But we were talking about a man.”

There was no mirror available, but Mr. Walkingshaw had a strong suspicion that he must be blus.h.i.+ng.

<script>