Part 5 (2/2)

Under the Andes Rex Stout 18080K 2022-07-19

It was late the next arden, and ent in for breakfast we found the dining-roo previous; the cuisine was of the kind usually--and in this case justly--described as ”superior,” but we did not have the sae on our appetite

We were not very talkative; Ibeforewith Harry, a task which I was far fros I must know

”What do you say to a ride down the valley?” said Harry ”They have excellent horses here; I tried one of 'em the other day”

”I trust that they bear no reseh!” said Le Mire with a shudder ”Never shall I forget that ride

Besides,” she added, turning to Harry, ”thisI would be in the way Don't you know that your brother has a thousand things to say to you? He wants to scold you; you must relance half defiant, half indifferent, which plainly said: ”If I fight you, I shall win; but I really care very little about it one way or the other”

After breakfast she went to her room--to have her hair dressed, she said--and I led Harry to a secluded corner of thethe ere both silent: Harry, I suppose, ondering what I was going to say, while I was trying to an abruptly, ”you are going to tell me I have acted like a fool Go ahead; the sooner it's over the better”

”Nothing of the sort,” said I, glad that he had opened it

He stopped short, de to knohat I meant

”Of course,” I continued, ”Le Mire is aprize Not exactly my style perhaps, but there are few ratulate you

”But there were two things I feared for several reasons--Le Mire's fascination, your own youth and impulsive recklessness, and the rather curious mode of your departure I feared first and most that you would marry her; second, that you would achieve odiu me with a smile which had in it very little of ae of bitterness

”And so,” he burst out suddenly, ”you were afraid I would ain the s”

”And--”

”She won't have me”

”Bah!” I concealed ht it possible that the lad could be such a fool ”What's her game, Harry?”

”Game the deuce! I tell you she won't have me”

”You have asked her?”

”A thousand ti”

”And she refuses?”

”Positively”

”Refuses?”