Part 14 (1/2)
”Very lovely?”
”_Very_ lovely.”
”I never before was so struck with the truths of heredity,” mused the young man. ”You are exactly like him.”
”_Oh_!” the girl dropped her face in her hands a moment, and then thrust them out with the palms toward her guest. ”You have need to beg a thousand pardons and a thousand more to cover the offences you have committed. And you have broken your promise!”
”What a harsh accusation! I promised not to come to the verge of a compliment. Do you think that was on the verge?”
”No! It was too blunt--too dreadfully--”
”It is a pleasure to hear you so emphatically contradict an a.s.sertion made by yourself.”
”That is a mere quibble--a legal quibble. Well, there is no doubt that you would make a very successful lawyer.”
”Is that a compliment, or does it approach the verge of one?”
Before this problem could be solved Herbert, who was deeply engaged in a game of checkers with his younger sister, at the other end of the apartment, suddenly announced: ”Rose, here is Mr. Galton coming across the street, making directly for our house.”
”Oh, dear!” was the very inhospitable exclamation of its pretty mistress. Then as she caught an amused glance from Allan's eyes, she added demurely, ”I am so glad.”
”Perhaps it would be better for me to go.” The words escaped with obvious reluctance.
”Better for which of us?”
”For both, I think.”
”Your charities are conducted on too large a scale. Now, if you could only content yourself with benefiting _one_ of us you would remain. I have a dread of that man.”
”So have I, but from a different motive. As your dread increases, mine grows less.”
Close a.n.a.lysis and consideration of this fact gave a very becoming tint to her cheeks as she welcomed the entering guest. ”Ah, Miss Rose,” he exclaimed, ”blooming as ever, in spite of wintry days. Do you know I came very near going past your door?” He allowed the announcement of this providentially averted calamity to sink deep into her heart, while he bowed to Allan.
”This is an unexpected pleasure,” murmured the young lady, with sufficient formality to prevent her words from being dangerously insincere.
”Unexpected to you and a pleasure to me?” queried the gentleman, with a keen glance at the pair, whose _tete-a-tete_ he had evidently disturbed, ”or do your words bear reference to the idea of seeing me going past your door?”
The amount of truth in these very good guesses startled the girl to whom they were addressed into an uncomfortable sense of guilt. ”How can you accuse me of anything so horrid?” she said, drawing her chair not far from him, and looking into his face with the appreciative air and att.i.tude that are not to be resisted.
”Mr. Galton,” said Herbert, who, having completed the game, and vanquished his sister, could afford to turn his attention to the frivolous conversation of his elders, ”do you know what Rose said when she saw you coming? She said, 'Oh, dear, I am so glad!'”
”Herbert,” implored Rose, crimsoning under these carefully reported words, and fearing that Mr. Galton, not being aware of the motive which prompted them, would not know whether to be ecstatic or sarcastic, ”you are a terrible boy!”
”Herbert has done me a great kindness,” exclaimed the flattered gentleman, who considered Rose's embarra.s.sment quite natural, and very pleasing under the circ.u.mstances. ”All my doubts of a welcome he has happily removed.”
In the fear that these doubts might unhappily return if he were allowed to continue conversation with a too-confiding younger brother, Rose devoted herself with nervous intentness to his entertainment, and succeeded brilliantly. Fragments of laughter and chat drifted across to where Eva was trying to persuade Allan into playing checkers.
”Just one game, please, Mr. Dunlop,” pleaded the little damsel, in resistless accents.
”If you but knew what a wretched player I am,” said the young man gloomily.
”Oh, _are_ you a wretched player?” she exclaimed brightly, ”I am so glad. Then there is some chance for me.” She added confidentially, ”I am even more wretched.”