Part 5 (2/2)

His bro gloomy, and he paced the room with feverish steps

”No!” he said presently, ”I feel pretty sure it is not passion pure and simple--or impure and complex if you like Criticsit may soon be love, if it is not that already

Wherefore, I had better fly to do her errands as soon as possible

But I can not accept the ascetic idealyet Hypothetical Mizzis may cross my path, and if they do I feel sure I shall kiss the _her_, why, then I shall be very good

” 'Myesnot very loftybut I want to be honest, and feel pretty sure that is what I shall do No doubt I shall not be happy, but?”

With a dissatisfied growl he began to undress, and soon he was in bed

To quiet his uneasy conscience before he fell asleep heshe tells ave an unromantic snore

CHAPTER V

THE PLOT THICKENS

A knock on his door roused Lionel at half past eight, and he sprang up clear-eyed and joyous to meet the sun The events of the previous day sped pleasantly through his brain; and now that theoptination of his hostess ”Oh, it is bound to be all right!” he said to hi-table and whistling a her”_Horchen Sie doch!_” said Mizzi approvingly to the cat, as she prepared breakfast and heard the melodious strain: ”_Er ist ein braver Kerl, der sich nicht erzurnt Er ist ein lustiger Geist, wirklich Die anderen habe ich zuht

Lionel breakfasted alone Mizzi said that her ed to be excused for an hour; after that she would be ready Thein the coffee, and seemed markedly assiduous for his comfort But Lionel did not detain her in conversation; he had no intention of elaborating the _affaire_ of the previous night What amusement fell to his share he was ready to accept with a youthful zest, but he was old enough not to pursue happiness too zealously nor to h, provided it embarrassed neither the recipient nor himself He was never a man to raise false hopes or win success by lies or a pretended love His philosophy eirls, or so petted, and he was not averse from the kindly office Only, therethat he was not to be taken _au serieux_ This philosophy, of course, did not apply to Beatrice Blair: she was altogether outside routine He was a butterfly, if you like, but at any rate honest

So when Mizzi hoped that ravely, ”Perfectly, _'s newspaper She brought it, with a pout of resentment, and as she handed it to him discovered a fly on his collar This she was allowed to remove with the most absolute decorum; but when the operation was finished and she smiled persuasively, he stroked her hair paternally and said, ”You htened color, and he sat doith satisfaction to the cricket reports and deviled kidneys

To tell the truth, in spite of his arguhtly ashamed of the momentary swerve fro exceedingly pretty and self-possessed She was dressed smartly in blue, a color that contrasted favorably with her hair and eyes Lionel thrilled with gladness at the sight of her, for in brief ination had played tricks: the night and artificial lights ht possibly have lent her a fascination that would pass with the dawn

Could there indeed be so delightful a creature in London? These doubts, it ly brief; still, they had had existence, and the joy of seeing theht made life more desirable than ever

There was no ehly civilized, educated, up-to-date; with a kindred instinct of what to ade of the times when silence or speech was best The lady ht before, and Lionel was too full of the present to dwell churlishly on the past Instead, they talked cheerfully of trivialities for a ti out to do so ”I will not ask you to couess how bored you would be But I shall be with you again for lunch For the present, au revoir”

Lionel, ould cheerfully have carried a score of parcels or hat-boxes for the pleasure of her co reason for returning to his lodgings--indeed, there was every reason for staying away until he could earn so any; but at least he was in theexperience, and he had proard of circuhtest novel he could find, and put the cigarette-box within easy reach Thus he passed an unprofitable but pleasant

Miss Blair returned soon after one o'clock, and they had lunch together

In the afternoon they went for a drive in a hired ot back to Bloomsbury about seven Lionel was put down at the flat and Miss Blair went on to the theater, froht Supper followed, and then they s to bed

Lionel had expected to hearwas said Wherefore he kept silence, awaited events, and went to sleep, wondering whether a farce or tragedy was being played

This uneventful life went on for several days, during which he had plenty of tipersonality, grave or humorous as occasion dereat conspiracy, devoted to her absent husband, resolute to strike when opportunity offered--such was Beatrice Blair When he was in her company he could not doubt her; alone, he could not help wondering what this Arabian Night ht mean The utter fantasy of it all bewildered him, but even if false he could not conceive her motive In the end he usually came back to the conclusion that the apparently absurd was true, and always that at all costs he would see it through to the end

Her attitude to hiratitude” kisses--no hint of danger She had referred only once again to his act of stopping the runaway horse and her wish to do sohed at; now that the opportunity had come he was loath to use it; but in a subsequent conversation she had learned that he had written several plays, all unacted, perhaps even unread One lay at that er; she knew him, and promised to spur him to read Lionel's play himself Lionel thanked her, but did not build any castles on so fliers' doors too many years to have any illusions

So day followed day without anything to break the pleasanta friendshi+p that was more than a friendshi+p to hi sos--the remembrance of Lukos and the aloof friendliness of Beatrice herself There was but one fly in the amber of that perfect week, and that was the attitude of Mizzi