Part 23 (1/2)
They found the vicar, but not the dragon, as lashi+ng her tail in the pantry, ier To hear herself called a dragon, and by a pair of unprincipled adventurers! One of them, it appeared, was a man who had run away fro ”Thank Heaven I have no daughter in the house!” thought Mrs Peters in a paroxysm of resentful propriety
”Who could feel safe with suchup chance acquaintances in a coo and tell him--expose them at once! The impudent hypocrites!”
On the threshold she paused Was it because, despite her justification, she did not feel anxious to il in the pantry? Or was it due to a wifely consideration for a husband's weakness? She chose to believe the latter ”Charles will not have the e!” she reflected ”He is pitifully craven in such e it myself I had better wait and watch
They ns Perhaps I had better wait, and then ” A smile, terrific in severity and eance was evidently”Yes! I ait!”
On the lawn she found Tony Co herself to speak without undue hostility, she learned that the vicar had carried Robert off to inspect the greenhouse Mrs Peters, on the plea of a e, followed She could not trust herself with Robert or his accos astray, or the other way about?” she wondered viciously
”They both seeht to know better Besides, he has a wife” Had she known of Tony's matrimonial vicissitudes she would have fainted
The odd-job , and Tony strolled over to exchange a word: he never despaired of finding interest in thematerial Chats with para-orators, enthusiastic Salvationists, e, even househt be, and often were, instruainst boredom All were fish for his net But it must be confessed that his catch had hitherto been of little value He had bought a few centi for it with nu diant e
”Done?” he asked laconically, and Henry Brown sood job jobbed,” he replied ”shi+fting earth is healthy, sir, but it takes doing”
”D'you like it?” said Tony; ”Iand all that, or do you pant after the higher life? More wages and less work, and so forth, I ed his shoulders
”It's my job, sir,” he said philosophically ”I can't say it's aot to be done”
”Got to be done,” repeated Tony, oodness it's not to be done by me Tell me, Brohat do you really think of work? Does it bore you or what? Do you think it's a good thing, so to speak? You needn'tout--the vicar can't hear, and I'm a man of the world and all that Tell me, does work bore you to tears?”
The other sht, sir,” he said ”I should be sorry to be without”
”You really _mean_ that?” asked Tony in surprise
”I do, sir Don't you think the same?”
Tony did not answer, but reflected for at least a minute Then he took off his coat and turned up his shi+rt-sleeves with a whimsical smile ”I haven't worked for years,” he said: ”kept myself fit with developers and other horrors Lend me your spade, will you? I want a new thrill”
Brown laughed, but obeyed Tony began to dig, steadily and resolutely, at a spot where another post was to be planted He did not attack the task too vehemently, asfaithfully, and at the end of ten ive in, however, but dug on till the task was accomplished Then he thren the spade, wiped his forehead and stretched hih, sir?”
”For the present, yes,” said Tony ”One s But I'll admit it's not a bad sort of notion on the whole, this work In sht even be adarded as a habitthat would need further consideration Where can I find a tap?”
”Behind that fence, sir”
Tony went to cleanse his hands, leaving the odd-job”Rum customer,” he murmured: ”a very ru's rus seeht the sarass and a handkerchief behind the fence The tap was screened from the lawn by the aforesaid fence, froe And as he dried andof s on the other side of the hedge Froy--caused by a deep-set one past Then he peeped through the hedge and nearly whooped For, retreating, he observed the neat figure of his da-card Joy was excusable, for he had not seen her again since their encounter
His first iarity and bethought hih a weak spot in the hedge, leaving cos to his own devices, or should he make for? The latter was clearly the retfully over the girl in the road She looked such a perfect pet! Luckily he was not called on to make an imazed around Tony concealed hiht still keep an eye upon her What was she waiting for? He was not left long in doubt, for she gave a low but melodious whistle The whistle was answered in the same key ”Brown, by all that's wonderful!” ! No wonder he doesn't find work dull”
If he expected a love-passage he was disappointed The girl, as soon as her whistle was returned, flung a piece of paper over the hedge and walked quickly away Tony gave the odd-job man time to pick up the billet and presently strolled round, still drying his hands
”Clean, sir?” asked the odd-job ht not have seen